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poultry

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Should you wash a turkey before cooking it?

You MUST resist. Yes, poultry doesn’t exactly seem super clean, but no matter how gross or how slimy that bird feels, whatever you do, do not wash your turkey. More than 46 million turkeys will be eaten this Thanksgiving Day, and with that comes one of the biggest days of the year for food borne illnesses. With so many different foods being stored, rinsed, prepared, and cooked all in the same space, it’s easy to imaging how cross contamination can happen. But the easiest way to spread illness-causing bacteria? Washing the turkey. But why? According to the USDA, rinsing your turkey, whether fresh or frozen, will not get rid of that unwanted bacteria on your bird — in fact, that’s pretty much impossible to do without the high heat of the oven (more on that later). Actually it’s washing your turkey that increases the chance of spreading that bacteria. This…

More people get sick from this food than any other, according to the CDC

Summer is right around the corner and chances are you’re dying to bite into your first big piece of juicy grilled chicken. Chicken is by far the most popular source of protein in the U.S. The USDA reports that Americans consume 92 pounds of chicken per person per year. But all of that poultry comes with a dirty little secret — chicken is far more likely to make you sick than any other food. The CDC estimates that every year about a million people get sick from eating contaminated poultry. Salmonella and campylobacter are the two most common causes of foodborne illness — both commonly spread through animal feces. Salmonella can come from a variety of foods including eggs, meat, dairy, or produce, but campylobacter is pretty strictly tied to chicken. The USDA reported that from April 2018 through March 2019, 22% of production plants did not meet standards set for limiting…

6 foods you should never wash before cooking

When you’re cooking, it’s natural to want to keep things clean and tidy in your kitchen — after all, 48 million people get sick from foodborne illness each year. While you should continue to keep your utensils and cutting surfaces super clean, sometimes the actual food your prepping should be left alone. If you think you’re beating bacteria by washing these 6 food items, thing again. Save yourself the time and trouble: Mushrooms Mushrooms act like little sponges and actually change texture and taste when they come in contact with water for too long. While this doesn’t mean they’re dangerous, mushrooms are extremely absorbent and can become soggy and rubbery if they’re soaked for too long. Instead, use a damp paper towel to clean them. Eggs You might have considered washing your eggs before cracking them open into that omelet — after all, eggs come out of you know where. But…

Report shows restaurants that use most antibiotics in meats

Consumers Union has released its third annual “Chain Reaction” report on the prevalence of antibiotics in meat products in America’s most popular chain restaurants. Sadly, the results show most of the restaurants have failed to improve, even in the face of drug-resistant superbugs. The rankings are based on each companies’ own policies for the use of antibiotic in meat and poultry products that they buy. Pumping chickens, cows and pigs full of antibiotics intended for humans is slowly destroying our ability to treat common infections. The U.N. has called it a growing concern and potential global health crisis. More than 23,000 people die annually in the U.S. from antibiotic-resistant infections each year, according the the CDC. To combat this problem, doctors and hospitals use antibiotics more judiciously than in the past, yet 70 percent of all antibiotics sold in the U.S. aren’t intended for human use anyway, but rather in animal agriculture. “The nation’s fast food restaurant chains are…