The Cook’s Kitchen

Poultry is one of the most popular and versatile foods you could ever ask for. Recently there has a great deal of attention given to chicken and I wanted to give you the heads-up on a couple of things being talked about on food forums and in the media.

First, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) which is the public health agency in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has lowered the safe minimum internal temperature of all poultry products from 180° to 165°.  From a moistness and flavor point of view, most cooks feel this is a good thing especially for breast meat.  Dark meat on the other hand, is usually cooked to higher finish temperatures simply because it will remain moist due to a higher fat content.  I actually prefer my dark meat between 175° and 180° but I always felt guilty because I cook white meat to 155°, then let it rest and allow the internal temp to rise another 6 to 8 degrees.  When I heard this news, I was a happy camper.

Then I read a report from ConsumerReports.org which indicated that 83 percent of fresh, whole broilers bought nationwide harbored campylobacter or salmonella, the leading bacterial causes of foodborne disease.  CR went on to say that in 2003, 49 percent of the tested chicken showed positive for one or both pathogens. Man, that is a big increase!  Something that also got my attention was that the so called “premium” or “organic” brands were more likely to harbor salmonella than the “standard” brands.  Although the link I provided will take you to the overview page, check out the additional links found on the left margin.  This article is really worth the read, not to scare you away from chicken but to remind you of the importance of following proper food storage, handling and preparation rules.

When buying chicken, your senses of touch, sight and smell are your best judges of freshness.  Chicken should have no unpleasant smells or off-coloration.  It should not feel sticky or mushy.  Stay away from birds that have accumulated liquid in the bags.

When you read this report, and I hope you do, you will see that CR  has listed the following rules to follow. They are worth repeating.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Make chicken one of the last items you buy before heading to the checkout line. If you choose organic, no-­antibiotics, or air-chilled chicken, do so for reasons other than avoiding bacteria.
• In the supermarket, choose well-wrapped chicken, and put it in a plastic bag to keep juices from leaking.
• Store chicken at 40° F or below. If you won’t use it for a couple of days, freeze it.
• Thaw frozen chicken in a refrigerator (in its packaging and on a plate), or on a plate in a microwave oven. Cook chicken thawed in a microwave oven right away.
• Separate raw chicken from other foods. Immediately after preparing it, wash your hands with soap and water, and clean anything you or raw chicken touched.
• To kill harmful bacteria, cook chicken to at least 165° F.
• Don’t return cooked meat to the plate that held it raw.
• Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours of cooking.