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).