Common Mistakes with Meat: What You Might Be Doing Wrong

Are you sure you know how to properly handle meat and chicken? Following a serious contamination at a U.S. burger chain this week, a food safety expert from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, recently interviewed for a study on the Huffington Post, highlighted a common mistake most people make with the meat and chicken they buy—often without realizing it.

The expert, Archie Magoulas, explained that many of us tend to wash meat in the sink or on the counter, which actually increases the risk of spreading bacteria to other kitchen utensils or foods. “This is the main mistake, but not the only one,” he said. According to Magoulas, there is no difference in safety between expensive and cheap meat. “The emphasis should always be on how we handle our meat,” he added, while also pointing out other common mistakes people make during meat preparation.

“Many people even wash ground meat, thinking it will reduce its fat content. Even if that were true, there is a correct method to do it,” he explained.

Some people believe washing meat helps remove bacteria, but the American Health Department advises that washing beef is unnecessary. Cooking meat to the proper temperature—160°F for beef and 165°F for chicken—effectively kills harmful bacteria.

As mentioned, the contamination discovered this week at a McDonald’s chain across ten U.S. states involved E. coli, which infected dozens of people and resulted in one death. Following the revelation, the company’s stock dropped significantly. This incident follows a previous Listeria contamination also found in meat products sold by burger chains in the U.S.