| History & Definitions
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| | slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator.
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| The chicken is a descendant of the
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| | Boneless chicken breasts will usually
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| Southeast Asian red jungle fowl first
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| | defrost overnight. Bone-in parts and
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| domesticated in India around 2000 B.C.
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| | whole chickens may take 1 to 2 days or
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| Most of the birds raised for meat in
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| | longer. Once the raw chicken defrosts, it
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| America today are from the Cornish (a
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| | can be kept in the refrigerator an
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| British breed) and the White Rock (a
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| | additional day or two before cooking.
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| breed developed in New England).
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| | During this time, if chicken defrosted in
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| Broiler-fryers, roasters, stewing/baking
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| | the refrigerator is not used, it can
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| hens, capons and Rock Cornish hens are
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| | safely be refrozen without cooking first.
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| all chickens. The following are
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| | Chicken may be defrosted in cold water in
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| definitions for these:
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| | its airtight packaging or in a leak proof
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| • Broiler-fryer a young, tender chicken
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| | bag. Submerge the bird or cut-up parts in
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| about 7 weeks old which weighs 2 1/2 to 4
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| | cold water, changing the water every 30
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| 1/2 pounds when eviscerated. Cook by any
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| | minutes to be sure it stays cold. A whole
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| method.
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| | (3 to 4-pound) broiler fryer or package
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| • Rock Cornish Game Hen - a small
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| | of parts should defrost in 2 to 3 hours.
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| broiler-fryer weighing between 1 and 2
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| | A 1-pound package of boneless breasts
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| pounds. Usually stuffed and roasted
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| | will defrost in an hour or less.
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| whole.
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| | Chicken defrosted in the microwave should
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| • Roaster - an older chicken about 3 to
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| | be cooked immediately after thawing
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| 5 months old which weighs 5 to 7 pounds.
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| | because some areas of the food may become
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| It yields more meat per pound than a
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| | warm and begin to cook during
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| broiler-fryer. Usually roasted whole.
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| | microwaving. Holding partially cooked
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| • Capon - Male chickens about 16 weeks
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| | food is not recommended because any
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| to 8 months old which are surgically
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| | bacteria present wouldn't have been
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| unsexed. They weigh about 4 to 7 pounds
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| | destroyed. Foods defrosted in the
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| and have generous quantities of tender,
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| | microwave or by the cold water method
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| light meat. Usually roasted.
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| | should be cooked before refreezing.
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| • Stewing/Baking Hen - a mature laying
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| | Do not cook frozen chicken in the
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| hen 10 months to 1 1/2 years old. Since
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| | microwave or in a slow cooker. However,
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| the meat is less tender than young
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| | chicken can be cooked from the frozen
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| chickens, it's best used in moist cooking
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| | state in the oven or on the stove. The
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| such as stewing.
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| | cooking time may be about 50% longer.
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| • Cock or rooster - a mature male
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| | Stuffed Chicken
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| chicken with coarse skin and tough, dark
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| | The Hotline does not recommend buying
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| meat. Requires long, moist cooking.
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| | retail-stuffed fresh whole chicken
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| Chicken Inspection
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| | because of the highly perishable nature
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| All chickens found in retail stores are
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| | of a previously stuffed item. Consumers
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| either inspected by USDA or by state
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| | should not pre-stuff whole chicken to
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| systems which have standards equivalent
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| | cook at a later time. Chicken can be
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| to the Federal government. Each chicken
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| | stuffed immediately before cooking. Some
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| and its internal organs are inspected for
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| | USDA-inspected frozen stuffed whole
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| signs of disease. The "Inspected for
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| | poultry MUST be cooked from the frozen
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| wholesomeness by the U.S. Department of
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| | state to ensure a safely cooked product.
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| Agriculture" seal insures the chicken is
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| | Follow preparation directions on the
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| free from visible signs of disease.
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| | label.
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| Chicken Grading
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| | Marinating
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| Inspection is mandatory but grading is
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| | Chicken may be marinated in the
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| voluntary. Chickens are graded according
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| | refrigerator up to 2 days. Boil used
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| to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
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| | marinade before brushing on cooked
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| regulations and standards for meatiness,
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| | chicken. Discard any uncooked leftover
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| appearance and freedom from defects.
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| | marinade.
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| Grade A chickens have plump, meaty bodies
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| | Safe Cooking
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| and clean skin, free of bruises, broken
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| | FSIS recommends cooking whole chicken to
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| bones, feathers, cuts and discoloration.
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| | a safe minimum internal temperature of
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| Fresh or Frozen
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| | 165 °F as measured using a food
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| The term fresh on a poultry label refers
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| | thermometer. Check the internal
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| to any raw poultry product that has never
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| | temperature in the innermost part of the
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| been below 26 °F. Raw poultry held at 0
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| | thigh and wing and the thickest part of
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| °F or below must be labeled frozen or
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| | the breast. For reasons of personal
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| previously frozen. No specific labeling
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| | preference, consumers may choose to cook
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| is required on raw poultry stored at
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| | poultry to higher temperatures.
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| temperatures between 0-25 °F.
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| | For approximate cooking times to use in
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| Dating of Chicken Products
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| | meal planning, see the following chart
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| Product dating is not required by Federal
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| | compiled from various resources.
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| regulations, but many stores and
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| | Approximate Chicken Cooking Times
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| processors voluntarily date packages of
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| | Type of Chicken Weight Roasting
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| chicken or chicken products. If a
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| | 350 °F Simmering Grilling
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| calendar date is shown, immediately
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| | Whole broiler fryer+ 3 to 4 lbs. 1 1/4
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| adjacent to the date there must be a
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| | - 1 1/2 hrs. 60 to 75 min. 60 to 75 min*
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| phrase explaining the meaning of that
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| | Whole roasting hen+ 5 to 7 lbs. 2 to 2
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| date such as sell by or use before.
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| | 1/4 hrs. 1 3/4 to 2 hrs. 18-25 min/lb*
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| The use-by date is for quality assurance;
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| | Whole capon+ 4 to 8 lbs. 2 to 3 hrs
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| after the date, peak quality begins to
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| | Not suitable 15-20 min/lb*
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| lessen but the product may still be used.
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| | Whole Cornish hens+ 18-24 oz. 50 to 60
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| It's always best to buy a product before
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| | min. 35 to 40 min. 45 to 55 min*
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| the date expires. If a use-by date
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| | Breast halves, bone-in 6 to 8 oz. 30 to
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| expires while the chicken is frozen, the
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| | 40 min. 35 to 45 min. 10 - 15 min/side
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| food can still be used.
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| | Breast half, boneless 4 ounces 20 to 30
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| Hormones & Antibiotics
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| | min. 25 to 30 min. 6 to 8 min/side
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| No hormones are used in the raising of
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| | Legs or thighs 8 or 4 oz. 40 to 50 min.
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| chickens.
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| | 40 to 50 min. 10 - 15 min/side
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| Antibiotics may be given to prevent
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| | Drumsticks 4 ounces 35 to 45 min. 40
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| disease and increase feed efficiency. A
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| | to 50 min. 8 to 12 min/side
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| "withdrawal" period is required from the
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| | Wings or wingettes 2 to 3 oz. 30 to 40
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| time antibiotics are administered before
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| | min. 35 to 45 min. 8 to 12 min/side
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| the bird can be slaughtered. This ensures
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| | + Unstuffed. If stuffed, add 15 to 30
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| that no residues are present in the
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| | minutes additional time.
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| bird's system. FSIS randomly samples
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| | * Indirect method using drip pan.
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| poultry at slaughter and tests for
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| | Microwave Directions:
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| residues. Data from this monitoring
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| | • Microwave on medium-high (70 percent
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| program have shown a very low percentage
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| | power): whole chicken, 9 to 10 minutes
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| of residue violations.
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| | per pound; bone-in parts and Cornish
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| Additives
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| | hens, 8 to 9 minutes per pound; boneless
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| Additives are not allowed on fresh
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| | breasts halves, 6 to 8 minutes per pound.
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| chicken. If chicken is processed,
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| | • When microwaving parts, arrange in
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| however, additives such as MSG, salt, or
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| | dish or on rack so thick parts are toward
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| sodium erythorbate may be added but must
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| | the outside of dish and thin or bony
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| be listed on the label.
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| | parts are in the center.
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| Foodborne Organisms Associated with
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| | • Place whole chicken in an oven
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| Chicken
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| | cooking bag or in a covered pot.
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| As on any perishable meat, fish or
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| | • For boneless breast halves, place in
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| poultry, bacteria can be found on raw or
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| | a dish with 1/4 cup water; cover with
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| undercooked chicken. They multiply
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| | plastic wrap.
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| rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F
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| | • Allow 10 minutes standing time for
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| and 140 °F (out of refrigeration and
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| | bone-in chicken; 5 minutes for boneless
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| before thorough cooking occurs). Freezing
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| | breast.
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| doesn't kill bacteria but they are
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| | • The USDA recommends cooking whole
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| destroyed by thorough cooking.
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| | poultry to a safe minimum internal
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| USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service
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| | temperature of 165 °F as measured using
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| has a zero tolerance for bacteria in
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| | a food thermometer. Check the internal
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| cooked and ready-to-eat products such as
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| | temperature in the innermost part of the
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| chicken franks or lunch meat that can be
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| | thigh and wing and the thickest part of
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| eaten without further cooking.
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| | the breast. When cooking pieces, the
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| Most foodborne illness outbreaks are a
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| | breast, drumsticks, thighs, and wings
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| result of contamination from food
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| | should be cooked until they reach a safe
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| handlers. Sanitary food handling and
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| | minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.
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| proper cooking and refrigeration should
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| | For reasons of personal preference,
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| prevent foodborne illnesses.
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| | consumers may choose to cook poultry to
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| Bacteria must be consumed on food to
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| | higher temperatures.
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| cause illness. They cannot enter the body
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| | Partial Cooking
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| through a skin cut. However, raw poultry
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| | Never brown or partially cook chicken to
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| must be handled carefully to prevent
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| | refrigerate and finish cooking later
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| cross-contamination. This can occur if
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| | because any bacteria present wouldn't
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| raw poultry or its juices contact cooked
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| | have been destroyed. It is safe to
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| food or foods that will be eaten raw such
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| | partially pre-cook or microwave chicken
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| as salad. An example of this is chopping
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| | immediately before transferring it to the
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| tomatoes on an unwashed cutting board
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| | hot grill to finish cooking.
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| just after cutting raw chicken on it.
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| | Color of Skin
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| Following are some bacteria associated
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| | Chicken skin color varies from
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| with chicken:
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| | cream-colored to yellow. Skin color is a
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| • Salmonella Enteritidis may be found
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| | result of the type of feed eaten by the
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| in the intestinal tracts of livestock,
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| | chicken, not a measure of nutritional
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| poultry, dogs, cats and other
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| | value, flavor, tenderness or fat content.
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| warm-blooded animals. This strain is only
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| | Color preferences vary in different
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| one of about 2,000 kinds of Salmonella
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| | sections of the country, so growers use
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| bacteria; it is often associated with
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| | the type of feed which produces the
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| poultry and shell eggs.
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| | desired color.
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| • Staphylococcus aureus can be carried
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| | Dark Bones
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| on human hands, in nasal passages, or in
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| | Darkening around bones occurs primarily
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| throats. The bacteria are found in foods
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| | in young broiler-fryers. Since their
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| made by hand and improperly refrigerated,
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| | bones have not calcified completely,
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| such as chicken salad.
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| | pigment from the bone marrow can seep
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| • Campylobacter jejuni is one of the
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| | through the porous bones. Freezing can
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| most common causes of diarrheal illness
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| | also contribute to this seepage. When the
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| in humans. Preventing cross-
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| | chicken is cooked, the pigment turns
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| contamination and using proper cooking
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| | dark. It's perfectly safe to eat chicken
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| methods reduces infection by this
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| | meat that turns dark during cooking.
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| bacterium.
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| | Pink Meat
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| • Listeria monocytogenes was recognized
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| | The color of cooked chicken is not a sign
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| as causing human foodborne illness in
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| | of its safety. Only by using a food
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| 1981. It is destroyed by cooking, but a
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| | thermometer can one accurately determine
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| cooked product can be contaminated by
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| | that chicken has reached a safe minimum
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| poor personal hygiene. Observe "keep
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| | internal temperature of 165 °F
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| refrigerated" and "use-by" dates on
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| | throughout. The pink color in safely
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| labels.
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| | cooked chicken may be due to the
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| Rinsing or Soaking Chicken
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| | hemoglobin in tissues which can form a
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| It is not necessary to wash raw chicken.
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| | heat-stable color. Smoking or grilling
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| Any bacteria which might be present are
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| | may also cause this reaction, which
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| destroyed by cooking.
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| | occurs more in young birds.
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| Liquid in Package
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| | Color of Giblets
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| Many people think the pink liquid in
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| | Giblet color can vary, especially in the
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| packaged fresh chicken is blood, but it
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| | liver, from mahogany to yellow. The type
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| is mostly water which was absorbed by the
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| | of feed, the chicken's metabolism and its
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| chicken during the chilling process.
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| | breed can account for the variation in
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| Blood is removed from poultry during
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| | color. If the liver is green, do not eat
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| slaughter and only a small amount remains
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| | it. This is due to bile retention.
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| in the muscle tissue. An improperly bled
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| | However, the chicken meat should be safe
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| chicken would have cherry red skin and is
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| | to eat.
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| condemned at the plant.
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| | Fatty Deposits
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| How to Handle Chicken Safely
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| | Chickens may seem to have more fatty
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| • Fresh Chicken: Chicken is kept cold
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| | deposits or contain a larger "fat pad"
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| during distribution to retail stores to
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| | than in the past. This is because broiler
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| prevent the growth of bacteria and to
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| | fryer chickens have been bred to grow
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| increase its shelf life. Chicken should
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| | very rapidly to supply the demand for
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| feel cold to the touch when purchased.
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| | more chicken. Feed that is not converted
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| Select fresh chicken just before checking
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| | into muscle tissue (meat) is metabolized
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| out at the register. Put packages of
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| | into fat. However, the fat is not
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| chicken in disposable plastic bags (if
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| | "marbled" into the meat as is beef or
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| available) to contain any leakage which
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| | other red meat, and can be easily
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| could cross-contaminate cooked foods or
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| | removed. Geneticists are researching ways
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| produce. Make the grocery your last stop
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| | to eliminate the excess fat.
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| before going home.
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| | Trisodium Phosphate
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| At home, immediately place chicken in a
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| | Food-grade trisodium phosphate (TSP) has
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| refrigerator that maintains 40 °F, and
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| | been approved by FSIS for use in poultry
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| use within 1 or 2 days, or freeze at 0
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| | slaughter as an antimicrobial agent. When
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| °F. If kept frozen continuously, it will
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| | immersed in and/or sprayed in a dilute
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| be safe indefinitely.
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| | solution on chickens, it can
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| Chicken may be frozen in its original
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| | significantly reduce bacteria levels. TSP
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| packaging or repackaged. If freezing
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| | is "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS)
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| longer than two months, over wrap the
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| | by the FDA, and has been safely used for
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| porous store plastic packages with
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| | years, particularly in processed cheese.
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| airtight heavy-duty foil, plastic wrap or
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| | Irradiation of Poultry
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| freezer paper, or place the package
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| | In 1992, the USDA approved a rule to
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| inside a freezer bag. Use these materials
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| | permit irradiation of raw, fresh or
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| or airtight freezer containers to
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| | frozen packaged poultry to control
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| repackage family packs into smaller
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| | certain common bacteria on raw poultry
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| amounts or freeze the chicken from opened
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| | that can cause illness when poultry is
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| packages.
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| | undercooked or otherwise mishandled.
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| Proper wrapping prevents "freezer burn,"
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| | Irradiation at 1.5 to 3.0 kilo Gray, the
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| which appears as grayish-brown leathery
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| | smallest, most practical "dose," would
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| spots and is caused by air reaching the
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| | eliminate more than 99 percent of
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| surface of food. Cut freezer-burned
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| | Salmonellae organisms on the treated
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| portions away either before or after
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| | poultry.
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| cooking the chicken. Heavily
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| | Packages of irradiated chicken are easily
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| freezer-burned products may have to be
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| | recognizable at the store because they
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| discarded because they might be too dry
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| | must carry the international radura
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| or tasteless.
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| | symbol along with the statement, "treated
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| • Ready-Prepared Chicken: When
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| | with irradiation" or "treated by
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| purchasing fully cooked rotisserie or
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| | irradiation."
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| fast food chicken, be sure it is hot at
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| | Storage Times
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| time of purchase. Use it within two hours
| |
| | Since product dates aren't a guide for
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| or cut it into several pieces and
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| | safe use of a product, how long can the
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| refrigerate in shallow, covered
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| | consumer store the food and still use it
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| containers. Eat within 3 to 4 days,
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| | at top quality? Follow these tips:
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| either cold or reheated to 165 °F (hot
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| | • Purchase the product before the date
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| and steaming). It is safe to freeze
| |
| | expires.
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| ready-prepared chicken. For best quality,
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| | • Follow handling recommendations on
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| flavor and texture, use within 4 months.
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| | product.
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| Safe Defrosting
| |
| | • Keep chicken in its package until
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| FSIS recommends three ways to defrost
| |
| | using.
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| chicken: in the refrigerator, in cold
| |
| | • Freeze chicken in its original
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| water and in the microwave. Never defrost
| |
| | packaging, overwrap or re-wrap it
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| chicken on the counter or in other
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| | according to directions in the above
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| locations. It's best to plan ahead for
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| | section, "How to Handle Chicken Safely".
|