Antibiotics banned by the U.S. government for use in poultry production were found to still be in use according to a study published in the recent issue of Environmental Science and Technology.

As our recent coverage shows, the raw chicken you buy has a high risk of bacterial contamination. 

The most common culprits are:

1. Salmonella enteritidis, which may live in livestock’s intestinal tracts
2. Campylobacter jejuni, one of the most common causes of diarrheal illness in humans
3. Staphylococcus aureus, found in improperly handled, prepared and/or refrigerated foods (i.e., chicken salad)
4. Listeria monocytogenes, which is destroyed in the cooking process; however, poor hygiene may lead to contamination

Food handlers are responsible for most foodborne illnesses. Sanitary handling, as well as proper cooking and refrigeration, should prevent illnesses.

Observe these guidelines: 

1. When you’re shopping for chicken, make sure it feels cold to the touch.
2. Always check the sell-by and use-by dates. (FYI: Dating is not a federal requirement, but most stores do it.)
3. Place poultry packages in disposable plastic bags to contain any leakage.
4. When you arrive home, immediately place chicken in a refrigerator that maintains a 40°F temperature. Cook chicken within 1 to 2 days, or freeze at 0°F. Keep chicken in its package until using.
5. If you’re buying a cooked chicken, make sure it’s hot. If you’re not going to eat it within 2 hours, refrigerate it. Cooked chicken should be consumed within 3 to 4 days.
6. Bacteria must be consumed to cause illness, but handle raw chicken carefully to avoid cross-contamination. This occurs when raw poultry or its juices come in contact with other raw or cooked foods. If, for example, you’re cutting raw chicken, you don’t want to chop veggies on the same cutting board.
7. Always wash your hands before and after handling raw meat and poultry.
8. Never defrost chicken on a countertop. Defrosting should occur in the refrigerator, in cold water or in a microwave oven. It’s best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Boneless chicken breasts will usually defrost overnight. Bone-in parts and whole chickens may take 1 to 2 days or longer. Once the raw chicken defrosts, it can be kept in the refrigerator an additional 1 to 2 days before cooking.
9. Chicken may be defrosted in cold water in its airtight packaging or in a leak-proof bag. Submerge the bird or cut-up parts in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes to be sure it stays cold. A whole (3- to 4-pound) chicken or package of parts should defrost in 2 to 3 hours. A 1-pound package of boneless breasts will defrost in an hour or less.
10. Chicken defrosted in the microwave oven should be cooked immediately after thawing, as some areas may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present won’t be destroyed.
11. Foods defrosted in the microwave or by the cold-water method should be cooked before refreezing.
12. Don’t cook frozen chicken in a microwave oven or slow cooker. It can, however, be cooked from its frozen state in the oven or on the stove, but cook time may be about 50% longer.
13. Chicken may marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Discard any uncooked leftover marinade.

Our Chronological Coverage 

1. Most Chicken Producers’ Safeguard “Inadequate”
2. Agriculture Department Slow on Campylobacter Test

Tune in tomorrow for Part 4 of this series: Cook Chicken Safely

As noted yesterday in Most Chicken Producers’ Safeguards “Inadequate,” store-bought chicken is routinely contaminated with the pathogens salmonella and campylobacter.

“Our tests show that campylobacter is widespread in chicken, even in brands that control for salmonella,” says Urvashi Rangan, PhD, director of technical policy at Consumers Union (CU), the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. “While one name brand, Perdue, and most air-chilled [organic] chickens, were less contaminated than others, this is still a very dirty industry that needs better practices and tighter government oversight.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point requires companies to identify potential points of contamination and take measures to eliminate them. But while the USDA has a standard that requires chicken producers to test for salmonella, it first announced campylobacter performance standards on Dec. 31. They will not be implemented until July.

“USDA has been pondering new standards to cut the prevalence of bacteria in chicken for more than 5 years,” says Jean Halloran, CU’s director of food policy initiatives. “Consumers shouldn’t have to play roulette with poultry. The USDA must make chicken less risky to eat.”

Photo: Anna Bates/CDC

Tune in tomorrow for Part 3 of this article: Handle Chicken Safely

Two-thirds of store-bought chickens tested by Consumer Reports harbored salmonella and/or campylobacter, the leading bacterial causes of foodborne disease. 

The results, published in the January issue, involved 382 broilers purchased from more than 100 supermarkets, gourmet-food stores, natural-food stores and mass merchandisers across 22 states. 

Consumer Reports has been measuring contamination in store-bought chickens since 1998. The most recent test shows a modest improvement since January 2007, when the magazine found these pathogens in 80% of broilers. But the numbers are still far too high, and the results suggest most companies’ safeguards are inadequate. 

Among the findings: 

• Campylobacter was in 62% of the chickens, salmonella was in 14%, and both bacteria were in 9%. Only 34% of the birds were clear of both pathogens. That’s double the percentage of clean birds Consumer Reports found in its 2007 report, but far less than the 51% in its 2003 report.
• Among the cleanest overall were organic “air-chilled” broilers (a process in which carcasses are refrigerated and may be misted, rather than dunked in cold chlorinated water). About 60% were free of the two pathogens.
• Store-brand organic chickens had no salmonella at all, but only 43% of these birds were also free of campylobacter.
• Perdue was found to be the cleanest of the brand-name chicken, with 56% free of both pathogens. This is the first time since Consumer Reports began testing chicken that one major brand has fared significantly better than others across the board.
• Tyson and Foster Farms chickens were found to be the most contaminated. Less than 20% were free of either pathogen.
• Among all brands and types of broilers tested, 68% of the salmonella and 60% of the campylobacter organisms analyzed showed resistance to one or more antibiotics. All of the antibiotics were effective against 32% of salmonella samples and 40% of campylobacter samples, as compared to just 16% and 33%, respectively, in 2007.
• Although Perdue chickens were cleaner than other big brands in the tests, and most “air-chilled” organic birds were especially clean, Consumer Reports’ tests are a snapshot in time, and no type has been consistently low enough in pathogens to recommend over all others. Buying cleaner chicken may improve your odds if you fail to prepare chicken carefully.   

Each year, salmonella and campylobacter from chicken and other food sources infect at least 3.4 million Americans, send 25,500 to hospitals and kill about 500, according to CDC estimates. While both pathogens are known to cause intestinal distress, campylobacter can lead to meningitis, arthritis and Guillain-Barré syndrome (a severe neurological disorder). 

Tune in tomorrow for Part 2 of this article: Agriculture Department Slow on Campylobacter Test