News from GuelphMercury.com: Should you wash raw chicken? Ontario food safety expert settles debate University of Guelph Food Science professor Keith Warriner says the tradition of washing chicken is putting you at greater risk for contracting a food borne illness.

By Evelyn Harford Insidehaltoncom Tuesday, June 23, 2026 3 min to read Article was updated 4 hrs ago from GuelphMercury.com When it comes to whether or not you should wash your chicken, Ontario food safety expert Keith Warriner explains there’s really only one correct answer. “Washing doesn’t make chicken safer but rather spreads pathogens like salmonella and campylobacter around sinks and surfaces, where it can contaminate other foods such as salads,” he said. Salmonella and Campylobacter, two common bacteria that cause food borne illnesses, are killed during the cooking process. Both can cause your typical “stomach bug” symptoms, vomiting, diarrhea and malaise. However, in some people, particularly in younger and older age groups, more serious symptoms and complications can arise. Health Canada’s food safety advice lines up. “Never rinse poultry before cooking it because the bacteria can spread wherever the water splashes,” the regulator advises. The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention cites raw and undercooked poultry as some of the more “riskier foods” when it comes to food safety. “Raw chicken is ready to cook and doesn’t need to be washed first,” the CDC says. “Washing these foods can spread germs to other foods, the sink, and the counter and make you sick.” As poultry prices soar in Canada, could Costco raise the price of its beloved cheap rotisserie chickens? News As poultry prices soar in Canada, could Costco raise the price of its beloved cheap rotisserie chickens? Where does the chicken washing debate come from? Warriner says this washing chicken question, which is subject to “divisive debate,” was posed to a group of food safety experts at an International Association for Food Protection conference back in 2022. “The session was related to food safety communication and we asked the audience who washes chicken before cooking,” he said. “As scientists, they knew washing did not do anything, but those who (did it) said it was because their parents or grandparents did it.” Warriner explains the kitchen habit is a classic example of traditions passed down through generations. “Back in the day, I would say up until the 1970s, it wasn’t uncommon for chicken and turkey to have a few feathers on and blood spots,” he said. At that time, it was common to wash off the feathers and blood. Now, it would be rare to see this on chicken in the store but, despite that, the tradition has stuck around. “Interestingly, those who wash chicken also put stuffing in the cavity to cook at Thanksgiving and Christmas, even though this isn’t food safety wise,” he said. How long can you freeze chicken? An Ontario Redditor tests the limits by eating 12-year-old chicken wings News How long can you freeze chicken? An Ontario Redditor tests the limits by eating 12-year-old chicken wings What are the biggest risks when preparing chicken? Warriner said the most significant risk is undercooking when the internal temperature at the cold point doesn’t reach 74 C. Undercooking “This commonly happens with BBQ and potentially via air fryers where the surface gets cooked quicker than interior,” he explained. Unlike beef, which is sterile inside, salmonella and campylobacter can become associated with the lymphatic system thereby may be found inside poultry muscle. Cross-contamination The prevalence of salmonella in store-bought chicken is around 20 per cent, which increases the risk of depositing the bacteria onto a cutting board or utensil, then passing it onto the cooked product or other foods such as fruit and vegetables. Lack of handwashing You also need to wash your hands after handling raw poultry, as there is potential for cross-contamination and making yourself sick. Improper temperature controls Keeping your food at safe temperatures before, after and during cooking is critical to ensure food safety, Warriner says. Some people defrost frozen poultry on the counter or even in the garage, which can increase their risk of getting sick. “If the surface temperature goes above 10 C, there is a risk of Staphylococcus aureus growing that produces a toxin that won’t be destroyed by heat,” he said. After cooking, Warriner explains the food poisoning risk primarily comes from Clostrodium perfringens — a bacteria found in soil, sewage and animal intestines. “The pathogen survives the cooking process then grows if the poultry is held at room temperature for more than two hours,” he said. “This is more common with turkey at events like Thanksgiving and Christmas.” Storing raw poultry on the top shelf of the fridge may also cause drips contaminating pathogens to contact the foods below. Warriner’s advice is cook, clean, separate and ensure correct temperature controls when it comes to foods. Whole chicken prices rise 30%, outpacing beef. Why your Ontario barbecue may cost more this summer News Whole chicken prices rise 30%, outpacing beef. Why your Ontario barbecue may cost more this summer How to clean up after preparing chicken When cleaning up after cooking and preparing poultry, it’s a good idea to take it seriously. Warriner recommends keeping things separate, washing up thoroughly and using cleaning agents that can help eliminate any pathogens that may have been spread around in the process. “Its good to treat chicken like nuclear material,” he said. “Even defrosting in cold water is better in a dedicated container than a sink.” For sanitizing surfaces, it’s better to use one cap of bleach in two litres of water. “People often make the mistake of using neat bleach (standard liquid chlorine bleach) from the bottle,” said Warriner. “‘Neat bleach’ is alkali, so in its least antimicrobial form, but diluting in water brings it down to pH 7 when it is antimicrobial,” he explains. The dishwasher sterilizes by using heat, so placing your cutting boards and utensils in there is a good option. More natural cleaning strategies aren’t going to cut it either, Warriner says. “Some use vinegar and bicarbonate (baking soda), which doesn’t do much except fizz,” he said. “The disinfectants that have malic and citric acid don’t do much either apart from smelling nice.” For more information on poultry safety, check out Health Canada’s guidelines.