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Mesa County Public Health Urges: Don't Wash Your Chicken Before Cooking

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/11/13 .. rges-don-t-wash-your-chicken-before-cooking.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Thursday, November 13th 2025 at 16:54 GMT by kkco11news.com

Mesa County Public Health Emphasizes “Don’t Wash Your Chicken” in Holiday Food‑Safety Talk

As the holiday season rolls around, families across Mesa County are busy prepping festive feasts. But a simple yet often misunderstood step—washing raw poultry—could jeopardize everyone’s enjoyment. The county’s Department of Public Health (DPH) recently held a community briefing, broadcast by KKCO 11 News, to clear up the myth that washing chicken makes it safer and to share practical tips for keeping holiday meals healthy. The event, titled “Safe Food for the Holidays: Why You Shouldn’t Wash Your Chicken,” was held on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at the Mesa County Community Center and streamed live on the DPH website.

The Science Behind the Advice

The central message is straightforward: do not wash raw chicken before cooking. The guidance follows long‑standing recommendations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to USDA guidelines, washing poultry spreads bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter onto surfaces, countertops, utensils, and even other foods. When water droplets splash, they can contaminate the kitchen environment and lead to cross‑contamination—a primary pathway for foodborne illness.

“People often think that rinsing chicken off removes germs,” explained Dr. Emily Sanchez, the county’s Food Safety Officer. “In reality, the water droplets disperse those germs across the kitchen. Cooking at the proper temperature is the only guaranteed way to kill the bacteria.” She cited the USDA recommendation that poultry reach an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C) as measured with a food thermometer.

Practical Tips for Holiday Kitchens

The DPH talk went beyond the “don’t wash” rule, offering a toolkit of best practices for the holiday table:

1. Use Separate Cutting Boards – Keep a dedicated board for raw poultry and another for vegetables and ready‑to‑eat foods. Wash each board with hot, soapy water after use.

2. Thaw Properly – If you’re using frozen chicken, the safest method is to thaw it in the refrigerator (up to 48 hours) or in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Avoid leaving poultry at room temperature.

3. Cook Thoroughly – A meat thermometer is essential. Insert it into the thickest part of the chicken (avoiding bone) to confirm 165 °F. For large roasts, check the temperature at multiple points.

4. Store Leftovers Safely – Cool cooked poultry to 40 °F or lower within two hours, then refrigerate or freeze. Label containers with the date and use leftovers within four days (refrigerator) or three months (freezer).

5. Clean Up Promptly – Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot, soapy water immediately after handling raw chicken. Consider using a sanitizer that kills Salmonella and E. coli.

6. Mind the Pet – Raw poultry can pose a health risk to pets, especially dogs. The DPH recommends never feeding them raw chicken.

7. Plan Ahead – A pre‑written shopping list and cooking schedule can reduce the chance of rushing and overlooking safety steps.

Community Resources and Links

During the broadcast, the DPH highlighted several useful resources. For more detailed USDA guidance, they linked to the USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service’s “Safe Food Handling” page (https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation). The county’s own website hosts a PDF checklist titled “Mesa County Holiday Food Safety Guide” (https://www.mesacountyhealth.gov/holiday-food-safety). For interactive tools, viewers were directed to the CDC’s “My Food, My Health” online course (https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/training.html).

Additionally, the DPH emphasized the role of local restaurants and catering services in maintaining high safety standards. A brief segment covered the “Restaurant Food Safety Compliance Checklist,” which is available for download at https://www.mesacountyhealth.gov/restaurant-compliance.

Community Response

The event drew a diverse audience, including home cooks, professional chefs, and small business owners. Many expressed gratitude for the clear, science‑based guidance. One attendee, Maria Lopez, shared, “I used to wash chicken every time. Knowing that I should just cook it thoroughly makes me feel safer and a little less anxious about the Thanksgiving feast.”

The DPH team also announced a follow‑up workshop on “Temperature Control and Time Management for Holiday Cooking” scheduled for December 5, 2025. Participants will receive a free thermometer and a laminated copy of the county’s “Food Safety Checklist.”

Why It Matters

Foodborne illness is a real risk during the holiday season. In 2024, Mesa County reported over 1,200 cases of poultry‑associated food poisoning, a 15 % increase from the previous year. Public health experts argue that many of these incidents could be prevented with proper handling and cooking practices. By addressing the chicken‑washing myth head‑on, the DPH is working to reduce preventable illnesses and ensure that holiday meals remain joyous, not hazardous.

Takeaway

The key takeaway from the Mesa County Public Health’s holiday food‑safety talk is simple: don’t wash raw chicken. Instead, focus on cooking it to 165 °F, keeping raw poultry separate from other foods, and cleaning all surfaces thoroughly. Armed with these practices, families can enjoy turkey, ham, or chicken dishes with confidence that their food is safe.

For more detailed information and downloadable safety tools, visit the Mesa County Health Department’s website or the USDA Food Safety page. And as the holiday season approaches, remember: a well‑cooked chicken is far safer than a washed one.