Grilled chicken
Oregon has released a public service announcement about safe food practices while chicken following a study showing 40 percent of consumers undercook it.
(Steven Depolo)
A recent study in Oregon, Washington and California revealed that many consumers fail to follow basic food safety practices when handling and cooking chicken at home, putting themselves at risk for food poisoning.
The study by researchers at the University of California at Davis found that 40 percent of the participants undercooked chicken, 65 percent did not wash their hands before cooking and 50 percent washed raw chicken in the sink, which spreads bacteria and causes cross-contamination.
The study, which was funded by industry, was based on video footage of 120 people in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles who prepared a chicken dish and salad in their home. Everyone knew how to cook, with 85 percent serving chicken weekly, nearly the same percentage saying they knew how to handle chicken safety and nearly 50 percent reporting that they'd undergone official food safety training.
The results surprised officials at the Oregon Department of Agriculture, especially the high percentage of people who didn't cook chicken to 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill salmonella and campylobacter, two common pathogens on poultry.
"I think it's enlightening," said Bruce Pokarney, spokesman for the department. "But we may each be one of that 40 percent."
He said anyone who doesn't use a thermometer – as he hasn't in the past – can undercook chicken. Katy Coba, director of the agriculture department also was among those who've washed chicken in the sink though she doesn't do that anymore.
The study prompted Coba to release a public service announcement to try spread the word in Oregon about the importance of handling poultry safely. The one-minute spot, distributed to about 35 radio stations, reminds the public of ABC -- always be careful – by never washing chicken, preparing it on a separate cutting board, washing hands with hot, soapy water before preparation and cooking the meat to 165 degrees.
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Her message – and the study – follows the salmonella outbreak traced to Foster Farms chicken which started in March 2013 and has sickened at least 621 people in 29 states, including Oregon, through the beginning of the month.
But Pokarney said Oregon's participation has no connection to the outbreak.
"We would have supported this campaign regardless of any outbreak," Pokarney said. "It's a food safety initiative. It's good to have as broad partnership as possible. If the messages are helpful in getting consumers to do a better job of handling and preparing risky foods we're very comfortable with that."
Besides Oregon, agriculture departments in Washington state and California took part in the study along with the Partnership for Food Safety Education, the Northwest Chicken Council, the California Poultry Federation and Foster Farms.
-- Lynne Terry