While not all chicken is contaminated, to be on the safe side, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says that you should always cook poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.Rather than turning on the faucet with your bare hands after handling chicken, use your elbow to pry up the faucet. The liquid from the raw chicken can leak out onto you or the rest of your groceries -- contaminating everything. But be careful; once they come in contact with chicken juice, they can quickly cross-contaminate anything you touch. Chicken juice has a tendency to leak and drip outside of its container. And though it may seem thrifty, never reuse marinade after it’s come into contact with raw meat.If you’re a savvy cook, you probably know a thing or two about multitasking. Then when you grab your knife, wipe your hands on the towel or reach over and turn on your faucet, all of those surfaces also become contaminated. Even though you've washed your hands, they’ll just get dirty again the next time you touch your faucet. Coffman is pursuing her personal trainer certification in 2015. These types of bacteria could lead to uncomfortable gastrointestinal problems -- like cramping and diarrhea. Use a designated board for cutting raw chicken. It’s a time-saver to bounce around the kitchen, stirring a skillet one moment and slicing vegetables the next. After a quick rinse, use your forearm to push down on the soap dispenser to get soap into your hands. Once everything is clean, rinse off the soap and soak your dishes in hot water that is 171 to 195 F for a minimum of 30 seconds, according to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. If your grocer doesn’t supply paper towels, use a plastic bag to grab the container of chicken.Melodie Anne Coffman specializes in overall wellness, with particular interests in women's health and personal defense. As a healthy adult, you should be able to recover with time, although the bacteria may be especially detrimental, and even fatal, to young kids or older adults. Always use a paper towel to grab the package of chicken and place it directly into a plastic bag. Allow your dishes to air dry. If you’re working with raw chicken, not only do you have to wash your hands, you have to thoroughly sanitize anything that chicken comes into contact with.

She holds a master's degree in food science and human nutrition and is a certified instructor through the NRA. You might be careful to wash your tools after they come into contact with raw chicken—but have you thought about the sponge you use to clean those tools? In a professional kitchen, this is a major cross-contamination no-no. Wash utensils, dishes, cutting boards and countertops thoroughly with soap and hot water after preparing raw chicken. This can be bad news (contamination) if it comes into contact with your produce.Contrary to popular opinion, raw chicken doesn’t need to be (and shouldn’t be) rinsed in any way. Unfortunately, this is an easy way for chicken juice to seep into, and yes, contaminate your food.

Then when you grab your knife, wipe your hands on the towel or reach over and turn on your faucet, all of those surfaces also become contaminated. When it comes to handling chicken, however, For those who work in tiny kitchens, the cutting board can be priceless space. // Leaf Group Lifestyle Always sanitize any cabinet knobs, refrigerator door handles or sink handles that might have been contaminated.The plastic packaging for the chicken is contaminated with the same bacteria that are on the chicken. Even though you've washed your hands, they’ll just get dirty again the next time you touch your faucet.Raw chicken can carry harmful bacteria, such as salmonella and campylobacter. Raw chicken has the potential to spread food borne illnesses if it isn’t properly handled.