CDC: You May Be Handling Raw Chicken Incorrectly

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a message: "Don't wash your raw chicken!" The agency estimates a million people fall ill each year after eating contaminated poultry, but it warns in a tweet that rinsing off the meat before cooking can do more harm than good—by spreading germs "from the chicken to other food or utensils in the kitchen." The advice triggered some pushback online from people who abide by the wash-before practice, notes USA Today, but the CDC doubled down on Monday. To prevent the spread of germs, "you shouldn't wash any poultry, meat, or eggs before cooking," it said. More from the CDC here. (More food safety stories.)