Are you one of the people who used to wash meat before cooking it? If you are, then you should change this habit.
Although washing some foods with soap and water is linked to hygiene and health, it does not apply to meat and poultry, according to the Higher Institute of Public Health at Alexandria University in Egypt.
In a post on his Facebook page, the institute wrote: “Washing meat and poultry before cooking or even just rinsing them with water is considered a cause for the spread of many bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella bacteria and others.”
The institute pointed out that the cooking process alone is sufficient to eliminate any bacteria found in meat, provided that it is cooked at a temperature of at least 73 degrees.
Besides not washing the meat, the institute mentioned 3 basic tips that must be followed while dealing with raw meat, which are:
You should start preparing food that will be fresh and without cooking, such as salad, for example, before handling raw meat or poultry. And these foods should be kept away from where the meat is prepared.
It is important to clean and disinfect any surface that may be contaminated from meat or poultry, in addition to cleaning surfaces and pans with hot and soapy water.
After handling raw meat, hands should be washed with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.