does cooking chicken kill salmonella ?
Question
does cooking chicken kill salmonella
Julie I. Leatham
Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.Morbi adipiscing gravdio, sit amet suscipit risus ultrices eu.Fusce viverra neque at purus laoreet consequa.Vivamus vulputate posuere nisl quis consequat.
does cooking chicken kill salmonella
Answer ( 1 )
Yes, but only if the centre gets hot enough
Salmonella dies quickly at temperatures above about 70°C. Food safety agencies therefore recommend cooking whole chicken and chicken parts until the thickest part reaches 74°C / 165°F and stays there for at least a few seconds.
Why colour is not a safe guide
Sometimes the meat turns white or the juices run clear before the core has reached the lethal temperature. Using a clean probe thermometer is the only reliable way to know you are in the safe zone.
Resting time helps
When you take the bird out of the oven the internal temperature keeps climbing for a minute or two. Letting it rest under foil allows heat to diffuse and gives any surviving Salmonella an extra hit of lethal heat.
Cross contamination still matters
Killing the bacteria in the meat does not fix contamination you might have spread to salads, cutting boards or your hands while handling the raw chicken. Wash everything with hot soapy water and keep raw and ready‑to‑eat foods apart.
Bottom line
Proper cooking does kill Salmonella, but you need both the right temperature and good kitchen hygiene to stay safe.