A particularly disgusting survey by Consumer Reports claims that their “analysis of fresh, whole broilers bought nationwide revealed that 83 percent harbored campylobacter or salmonella, the leading bacterial causes of foodborne disease.” Ew! Cheaper birds weren’t more likely to have bacteria, “Overall, chickens labeled as organic or raised without antibiotics and costing $3 to $5 per pound were more likely to harbor salmonella than were conventionally produced broilers that cost more like $1 per pound.” Birds also harbored antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. “Twenty percent of campylobacter samples were resistant to ciprofloxacin (Cipro)” So that’s awesome news.

So what can you do to protect yourself?

•To kill harmful bacteria, cook chicken to at least 165

F.
•Don’t use plates and knives that have touched raw chicken.
•Store chicken at 40 degrees or below.
•Freeze chicken that you won’t be using right away

More at Consumer Report’s website —MEGHANN MARCO

Dirty Birds [Consumer Reports]

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