Health Tip: Handle Chicken With Care

(HealthDay News) — Chicken is a mainstay in many American households, but it may lead to food poisoning if not cooked properly and handled with care.

Foodsafety.gov suggests how to help keep your family safe:

Wash handswith warm soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling chicken.
Do not wash raw chicken.Its juices can contaminate other foods, utensils and countertops during washing.
Use a separate cutting board for raw chicken. Wash cutting board, utensils, dishes, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing chicken.
Never place other foods on dirty plates, cutting boards, or other surfaces that held raw chicken.
Use a food thermometerand cook chicken to the safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
If you are served chicken that appears undercooked, send it back for more cooking.
Refrigerate or freeze leftover chicken within 2 hours (or within 1 hour if the temperature is higher than 90 degrees F).