According to a report in ABC News, a new study has shown that about two-thirds of all chickens sold in grocery stores carry potentially dangerous bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter. Oddly enough, this is an improvement over earlier results that found over 80% of chickens to be contaminated, although some brands still fared worse than others. (Apparently organic "air-chilled" broiler chickens were the safest bet.
The study results are no huge surprise, but I think this offers a good reminder of the importance of cooking your food thoroughly and washing your hands carefully whenever you handle any kind of raw meat. Salmonella in store-bought chicken should not be dangerous if the food is properly cooked before being eaten, as prolonged exposure to heat will kill the bacteria, but it's important to also make sure to wash your hands and any surfaces in your kitchen that were in contact with the meat before it was cooked. Salmonella and other types of food poisoning can be dangerous to pregnant women and unborn babies, and eating or handling improperly cooked meat is a major risk factor for developing these infections.
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