Storage and Handling of Chicken Meat

All foods contain bacteria and most are harmless. Bacteria can become a problem if food is not stored and handled correctly. Chicken meat is a 'perishable' food, along with other meats, seafood, dairy products and other refrigerated foods.

Most food poisoning bacteria thrive between 5 and 60ºC. Therefore, do not keep perishable foods at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Buying and Storing

When shopping, pick up perishable foods last. Check packages for tears or broken seals and don't buy if it has been opened or damaged. Take perishable food home immediately and refrigerate or freeze. If travelling long distances, keep an esky in the car.

Store raw and cooked foods separately. Raw foods should be placed on a lower shelf in the fridge. As well as being wrapped in plastic, raw meats should be placed on a tray or plate, or placed in a sealed container, to avoid meat juices dripping onto other food.

 

 
Uncooked chicken meat should be stored in a refrigerator at a maximum temperature of 4ºC. Do not freeze raw meat which is not completely fresh - freezer temperature should be below -15ºC.

Preparation and Cooking

Thaw frozen chicken meat completely prior to cooking by placing in refrigerator or defrosting in a microwave oven. Before cooking, check there are no ice crystals left in the body cavity and that legs and thighs are soft and move easily. Do not thaw at room temperature as this will allow bacteria to multiply to potentially hazardous levels.

As raw meat juices may contain bacteria, prevent it spreading by using different utensils (chopping boards and knives) for preparing raw meat than those used for preparing other foods. Utensils used for foods, such as salads, which will not be cooked before being eaten, should be kept separate.

Chicken meat, including whole chicken carcasses, should not be washed prior to cooking. Read more ...

 

Marinating meat should be kept in the refrigerator.

 

Cook thoroughly. The high temperatures reached in roasting, baking, frying and boiling kill most food poisoning bacteria. Use a skewer to check that chicken meat is properly cooked by piercing deeply through the thickest part of the meat - when cooked properly, the juices will run absolutely clear, not pink.

You can use a food thermometer to check the temperature at the centre of the thickest part of the meat. When it reaches 75 ºC, it is thoroughly cooked.

Stuffing should be treated with special care. Stuff loosely (not more than 2/3 full) just before cooking and remove stuffing immediately after cooking.

If you want to keep cooked chicken hot, keep above 60ºC.

Storage of Cooked Chicken

Leftovers should be stored in the fridge immediately or frozen if more than  one to two days' storage is required.

 

Place leftovers in the refrigerator after steam has evaporated. To cool large quantities quickly, divide into smaller portions and refrigerate.

Re-heat leftovers to at least 70ºC for a minimum of 2 minutes.

Hygiene

Wash hands thoroughly with hot soapy water before preparing food and after handling raw meat.

After preparing raw meat, wash utensils, containers, cutting boards and kitchen surfaces with hot soapy water. Change your sponge regularly and wash well after each use, or preferably use disposable paper towels.

For further information see the ACMF Statement on Food Safety

There is also a handy full colour Food Safety Flyer available for download; print it off and stick it on the fridge!