Resolving the ongoing social media debate: Why you shouldn't wash your poultry with water or soap

Some TikTok creators are posting videos of themselves washing raw poultry. But food safety experts say washing meat and poultry is dangerous and unnecessary, encouraging users to stop.

The trending videos show users washing raw poultry with water before cooking it, with some users taking things to the next level by placing their meats in soapy water.

Creators and commentators suggest the ritual is to rid their food of germs, but food safety organizations say that it can do the opposite and spread bacteria. 

“While your mom and grandma might have done it, washing chicken can spread harmful Salmonella and Campylobacterbacteria to other parts of your kitchen and foods,” says Mitzi Baum, chief executive officer for Stop Foodborne Illness, an organization that advocates for food safety measures. “By washing meat and poultry, you risk cross-contaminating the entire kitchen in the process.”

Cross-contamination can occur by touching other objects, or if the water and/or mixture splashes elsewhere in the kitchen, adds Baum.

To prevent foodborne illnesses from the trend, it may be a good idea to talk to their patients about food preparation and food safety.

Where did the washing chicken trend come from?

The trend doesn’t come from thin air. According to “Don’t Wash Your Chicken!” a conveniently named new initiative started by the Partnership for Food Safety Education, people used to wash raw chicken to rid the meat of things like feathers or filthy residue that needed to be rinsed off. For the most part, today’s manufacturing processes take care of that task for consumers, the partnership says.

As for washing chicken with soap, that appears to be either a way of joking around or an extreme misinterpretation. But taking part in this trend won’t have anyone laughing if they contract a foodborne illness.

Risks of washing raw meat

Washing raw meat before cooking can spread bacteria, and put people at risk for foodborne illnesses like Salmonella or Campylobacter infections.

Salmonella illnesses can be serious, manifesting in symptoms like bloody diarrhea, fevers, or stomach cramps between hours to a few days after eating. While most people recover within a week without antibiotic treatment, some can be hospitalized if symptoms are extreme, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).^[]

Campylobacter infections can also occur from eating raw poultry, and come with similar symptoms to Salmonella. Among others, this can produce nausea, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, fevers, or cramps. The infection can be most dangerous in people with cancer, HIV, or otherwise weakened immune systems as it can occasionally spread to the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections, according to the CDC.^[]

Cooking kills bacteria

Instead of “cleaning” your meat with water (and soap), let your oven—grill, frying pan, air fryer, or another cooking method of choice—do the work.

Studies show that cooking meat and poultry to a safe internal temperature kills pathogens. The United States Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends cooking all poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit as measured with a food thermometer. It recommends cooking to at least 160 degrees for hamburger, pork, and egg dishes, and 145 degrees for beef, veal, and lamb steaks and roasts.

According to Baum, some tips that you can suggest your patients incorporate into healthy cooking and meal planning include:

• Wash their hands before preparing food

• Do not wash raw meat or poultry

• Use a meat thermometer to check internal meat temperature to ensure it is safe

• Wash or wipe down all surfaces (besides the raw meat), including stove tops, counters, handles, and ingredient containers

• Wash hands again after preparing food (do this vigorously for 20 seconds, with warm, soapy water)