67 Percent of Broiler Chickens Contaminated with Salmonella, Campylobacter, Study Finds

by Sarah LeTrent, Posted Dec 1st 2009 @ 1:30PM

Photo: Compassion in World Farming, Flickr

Two-thirds of all store-bought whole broiler chickens contain salmonella and/or campylobacter, according to a study by Consumer Reports.

The magazine tested 383 chickens it purchased in 100 supermarkets, gourmet- and natural-food stores, and other mass retailers in 22 states and found an alarmingly high level of contamination.

More than 80 percent of Tyson and Foster Farms chickens contained either one or both salmonella and capylobacter, making them the name-brand chickens with the most contaminates.

On the other hand, Perdue had the cleanest chickens with 56 percent of their birds found to be free from food-borne organisms.

Consumer Reports found the safest purchase to be air-chilled, organic broilers with 40 percent containing one or both salmonella or campylobacter.

It is especially important for consumers to be weary of cross-contamination as well as make sure to cook their chicken thoroughly -- making sure the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degree F as suggested by the USDA.

[Via Serious Eats]

Filed Under: Health & Medical
Tags: chicken contamination, chicken salmonella, chickens contaminated with bacteria, consumer reports chicken, poultry, salmonella

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-01-2009 @11:41PM Katie said... All the more reason to never wash your chicken. Yes, it's an old habit for many, but think about how much bacteria you are splashing around your sink and dripping on your countertop.

But 80%!? I think I'll skip those brands.
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12-10-2009 @4:40PM dks64 said... Just one of the many reasons I'm a vegetarian. Bleh.
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12-11-2009 @6:28PM Hans said... I don't see why this is such a big deal.

No matter how your chicken was treated prior to getting into your hands, you should always take the same measures to prevent foodborne illness. Even if my chicken came from a source that was 100% free of salmonella and campylobacter, I'd still take the necessary storage, preparation, and cooking steps.

It's not like buying an air-chilled organic broiler gives you a free pass to do something stupid like storing it in a warm place, undercooking it, or neglecting to clean up after preparing.
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