Beware The Campylobacter Scare..!

! Warning, post contains images of a sensitive nature !

If you aren't aware, the media in the UK are going crazy over informing people about the safety of not washing/cleaning their meat (Chicken, Fish, Beef & Lamb).
I recently had a blog reader ask me if i clean my meat before preparing any of the dishes i post on here. I do. I always have and always will.

I personally think this "crisis" is utterly ridiculous, and I'm shocked that people are jumping on the bandwagon and are cooking their meat WITHOUT cleaning it. The following blog post will give you the information the news does not, it will explain why i feel it is vital for you to clean your meat, and why i will continue to promote meat cleaning on this blog.

So, the Food Safety website state that the 4th most common mistake made when handling food, is washing meat or poultry.

"Washing raw meat or poultry can spread bacteria to your sink, counter tops and other surfaces in your kitchen"

And, according to the BBC News website, the bacteria Campylobacter effects 280,000 people in the UK each year. Only 28% of people who took part in the Food Standards Agency (FSA) had heard of this bacteria before taking the survey. (Just to note that 90% had heard of Salmonella & E Coil).
I found some information i think you might want to read before you follow suit and opt to not wash your meat!

What is Campylobacter?

• A bacterium which may cause abortion in animals & food poisoning in humans.
• Apparently, it is the most common form of food poisoning in the UK (although only 28% had heard of it..)

How do you get Campylobacter?

• Campylobacter germs are commonly found in raw meat, particularly raw poultry such as chicken, turkey etc.
• It can also be found in unfiltered water, mushrooms and shellfish!
• Campylobacter can be passed through pet animals commonly cats and dogs in contact with poultry (so farms etc)

How common is Campylobacter?

• Campylobacter is common in children under 5 and adults over 60
• People who travel to developing countries where sanitation and food hygiene may be less strict.
• People who work with farm animals.
• People who work in the meat industry.
• People who do not have sanitary homes.
• People who are less strict with hygiene when handling food.

What are the symptoms of Campylobacter?

     A few are:

• Nausea
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Blood in stool
• Cramps
• Temperature

What are your views on the Campylobacter scare?

Meat Factory.

Looking at the above information, there is no scare for those of us (44%) who clean our meat. I think this scare is ridiculous. I would be more worried for those who do not clean their meat. The majority of us buy our meat pre-packaged from stores such as Asda, Tesco etc. These meats are killed, skinned and chopped in a factory. Picture a factory setting. Is it clean? Is it sanitary? Remember these are places and environments were Campylobacter is common! I know your answer is no. And the picture on the right brings that reality to you does it not? Think it's clean? Okay. What about how the food is stored? That has a big impact on how rapidly bacteria develops. With the food demand becoming larger factories are running out of space to store the demands. 

So with that being the case. The meat before it gets to the supermarket, before it can be chilled down that cold aisle, has already gone through a ordeal. So why wouldn't you clean it? O_o

Okay, so how do you clean your meat?

I always have dedicated bowls, tools & gloves for my meat. This reduces any bacteria from being in my sink, counter tops and on my hands.

I never just use water on my hand. That is the equivalent to using the loo and 'washing' your hands in water. Are your hands really clean? I use natural anti bacterial cleaners such as Lemon, Lime, or vinegar. These are my go to when cleaning meat or fish (never use vinegar on fish). I also take the time to remove any guts, or fat attached to the meat i am cleaning, not all fat is good for you...

I have done this for myself since i could cook on my own, i haven't been sick once. My mother did this for me when i was younger. It is the only way we know how to clean meat.

How can i reduce my chances of getting Campylobacter?

• Keep a clean kitchen.
• Always wash your hands before handling meat of any kind.
• Always use gloves when handling meat.
• Use a natural anti bacterial when cleaning your meat, as listed above.
• Designate kitchen tools for cleaning your meat, and use for that purpose alone.
• Always wash your kitchen tools for cleaning your meat LAST and on a high temp.
• Clean your meat once you get it, don't leave it until you need it.
• DON'T use meat past its use by date - even if it is by one day!
• Clean your meat BEFORE you freeze it.

Related Articles:

• BBC News - Campylobacter
• Food Safety
• FSA
• Washing Raw Meat 
• BBC Washing Turkey

Disclaimer: These methods work for me, and may not work for you.