By Neil Stadford,
Project Weight Loss Editor - Diet
December 25, 2009If you`re one of those who washes the turkey before cooking it, then you should know that you have significantly increased the risk of food poisoning, a new survey showed.
The survey was conducted by researchers at the Food Standards Agency and collected data regarding the eating habits of UK consumers around holidays. The survey showed that women over forty-five years old were more likely to wash the turkey before cooking, while people in the north-east of England usually top the hazard chart.
If you wash the raw meat and poultry before cooking, the harmful bacteria may splash to dishes, utensils, worktops, and chopping boards. The germs that cause food poisoning may linger on surfaces for days.
People should remember that they cannot destroy all the germs that lead to food poisoning with water, according to Judith Hilton, Head of Microbiological Safety at the Food Standards Agency. The harmful bacteria are destroyed by heat. If you wash the turkey, you`re more likely to do the opposite: spread the germs instead of getting rid of them, said Hilton.
Many people think they know how to prepare a healthy Christmas meal with their eyes shut, but the truth is that certain Christmas food safety procedures are not clear yet, said Hilton.
The survey`s results also proved that almost seventeen percent of people can`t tell whether the turkey is cooked or not, and two percent think they may have suffered from food poisoning in the past years.
You can make sure that the turkey is properly cooked if the juice that runs out is clear, and the meat is not pink.
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