The poultry you are buying at supermarkets across America, and even at Costco, routinely has levels of salmonella that exceed federal safety limits, according to a new report. Farm Forward, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to end factory farming, released a report this week that exposed how the country's major poultry plants produce chicken, turkey and other poultry products are frequently contaminated with high levels of salmonella without retribution, as first reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Today's test confirmed my conviction that knowing where your food comes from is among the most effective actions consumers can take. This means buying from farmers' markets, butchers or directly from farms (online or in person). Some supermarkets also now work with independent family farms to provide better levels of transparency (although, do beware of fake farms, because some supermarkets have been known to make up fictional brands).
'While processed chicken products like nuggets or burgers can go straight in the oven, raw chicken should never be cooked from frozen. 'The FSA strongly advises against cooking raw chicken from frozen as it can lead to uneven cooking and bacteria growth,' Which? explained. 'While the outside of the chicken may heat up and appear done, the inside may remain undercooked and take longer to reach a safe temperature, creating ideal conditions for bacteria, such as campylobacter and salmonella.'