Washing Raw Chicken 'Swarming' with Germs... Warning Over Contamination in Sinks

If you washed raw chicken while preparing dishes like samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) or baeksuk (boiling whole chicken), you may want to take a closer look at your sink and countertops.

Many people feel a bit uneasy about eating raw chicken straight out of the packaging, so most take it to the sink and rinse it under running water.

However, experts warn that this habit can actually risk spreading food poisoning bacteria all over the kitchen.

This is because the food poisoning bacteria on the raw chicken can scatter to countertops, utensils, and various other surfaces during the washing process.

In fact, some countries advise against washing raw chicken, recommending that it be cooked thoroughly instead.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that raw chicken products are ready to cook and therefore do not need to be washed again.

Meanwhile, South Korea's Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency does not explicitly recommend against washing raw chicken.

However, it advises that if the chicken must be washed, it should be done last after preparing all other ingredients, taking care to prevent water from splashing around the surrounding area.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.