The FSAI has urged the public not to wash raw chicken after a survey found that 57% of people wash raw chicken before cooking it- a practice the authority said could spread campylobacter bacteria onto hands, work surfaces, clothing and cooking equipment through splashed water droplets. The most cited reasons for washing chicken were given as (1) Remove dirt (2) Get rid of germs (3) That’s how they always done it.

More than 90% of the public had heard of salmonella and E.Coli, said the authority, while only 28% of people know about campylobacter. The FSAI added that, of the people who had heard of campylobacter, only 31% knew poultry was the main source of the bacteria.

Campylobacter is the main cause of food poisoning in Ireland and the number of cases peaks in the summer months. For most people it means a couple of days with a dodgy tummy, but babies, the elderly and other vulnerable people could become seriously ill because of the bacteria. Please be vigilant!!