The key facts
- Onishchenko: heat treatment destroys microorganisms on chicken
- Washing does not remove possible chemical contamination — other methods exist to control it
- Earlier it was reported that splashes from washing raw chicken spread bacteria around the kitchen
To wash or not to wash: the epidemiologist's position
Rinsing chicken before boiling or frying is not necessary — so believes Russian Academy of Sciences academician and epidemiologist Gennady Onishchenko. According to him, microorganisms on poultry meat are destroyed by the heat treatment the product undergoes during cooking. An interview with him was published by the outlet “Abzats”.
What washing does not solve
Possible chemical contamination, the specialist noted, will also not be removed by washing: other methods exist to control such contamination. For those who consider rinsing a mandatory step of cooking, Onishchenko advised studying the technological recipe cards for dish preparation.
Why splashes are dangerous
The epidemiologist's conclusion is consistent with an earlier Life.ru report: splashes from washing raw chicken can spread bacteria around the kitchen — microorganisms can get onto the sink, table, vegetables and ready food. Readers were then advised to use a separate knife and cutting board for poultry. Thus, skipping washing the chicken not only does not reduce safety but also helps avoid additional splatter spread; meanwhile, heat treatment itself remains the key step in disinfecting the meat.
