Consumer Reports Quick Tips for Chicken Safety

CR January '07 Cover Here’s what consumers can do to help protect themselves:

• Make chicken one of the last items selected before heading to the checkout line.

• Choose well-wrapped chicken and put it in a plastic produce bag to prevent it from leaking.

• Store chicken at 40 degrees F° or below. Chicken that is not going to be cooked within a couple of days should be frozen.

• Thaw chicken in the refrigerator on a plate or on a plate in a microwave oven. Cook chicken thawed in a microwave right away. Chicken should never be thawed on the countertop.

• Separate raw chicken from other foods.

• Wash hands immediately after preparing raw chicken and clean all surfaces that were touched by the raw chicken.

• To kill harmful bacteria, chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Always use a meat thermometer.

• Do not return cooked chicken to the plate that held it raw.

• Refrigerate or freeze uneaten chicken within two hours of cooking.

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