WASHINGTON, DC — The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that millions of Americans are sickened with foodborne illnesses each year, resulting in roughly 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.

A recent study, “Food Safety Consumer Research Project: Meal Preparation Experiment Related to Poultry Washing,” by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) revealed that folks who primarily cook at home are among the primary culprits putting themselves and those who consume their food at risk of illness when they wash or rinse raw poultry.

The study, conducted in eight test kitchen facilities, with individuals who self-reported washing or rinsing raw poultry when cooking at home, used microbiological tracking to identify where cross-contamination took bacteria around the kitchen.

The insights included the following:

*When participants in the research washed chicken, 60 percent contaminated the inner sink with the tracer bacteria that was used.

*Immediately following chicken washing, 76 percent of participants in the research did not even try to clean and sanitize the sink.

*According to the study, more than one in four (26 percent) of the side salads participants prepared were contaminated with the tracer bacteria, meaning consumers would be putting bacteria directly into their mouths.

*The handwashing habits of participants was “horrible,” said Lynn Pereira, an intern on the Food Safety Education Staff in the USDA Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education.

“We observed 1,145 times when hand washing was required to prevent cross-contamination. Of these, handwashing was not attempted 75 percent of the time — and successful handwashing did not occur a disturbing 99 percent of the time according to CDC’s handwashing recommendations,” she stated.

Suzette LeBlanc, a food service inspector with the Town of Newtown, says she defines “sanitize” using the following methods from the FDA 2017 Food Code:

*Immersion in 160 degree Fahrenheit water for at least 30 seconds (not practical for surface cleaning) OR

*Chemical sanitizing using Chlorine (EPA registered, non-fragranced, non-concentrated bleach) using a dilution ratio of 1.5 teaspoon bleach: 1 gallon water with a contact time no less than one minute.

In addition, “the sanitizing agent needs to dry on the contact surface to be effective,” she pointed out, also referencing the 2017 guidelines. “Do not wipe off” the sanitizing agent, she added.

Food Prep Safety Tips

Ms LeBlanc also encourages home cooks follow safety tips issued by The Connecticut Department of Public Health. These should be followed regardless of what food is being prepared.

Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap and water and dry hands with a paper towel following restroom use, before preparing foods, after handling raw meat, and before eating. Clean hands will help prevent the spread of illness-causing bacteria.

Clean cutting boards, knives and counter tops. Bacteria can spread over and get into these items.

Wash and sanitize food-contact surfaces often. Many home dishwashers now come with a sanitizing cycle option. If not, utensils, cutting boards and other items that come in contact with food for at least one minute can be cleaned in a solution made of one teaspoon of household bleach per gallon of water.

Wash fruits and vegetables with water before preparing.

Thaw properly. Proper methods for thawing a turkey include thawing in a refrigerator with a temperature of 41° F or less (allow 3-4 days for thawing; placing under cool running water at a temperature of 75° F or less; or thawing in a microwave and cooking the turkey immediately.

Ms LeBlanc offers a word of caution about the second option, however.

“Although this is an approved method of defrosting,” she said, “current studies indicate that this may increase the risk of cross contaminating the sink and adjacent surfaces.”

Finally, the CT DPH reminds cooks to regularly check temperatures while cooking. Cook a turkey at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until its internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. That same temperature is the CT DPH standard for game meats and poultry, whether intact, ground, or comminuted.

While the results of the USDA study are not completely surprising — poor handling of food will always create health risks — the reminders for proper storage, thawing and prep are not new. Food is meant to be nourishing and enjoyable. Taking care while working with food will always result in dishes that are not only tastier, but safer for everyone.