Poultry Safety Advice

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Food Safety & Poultry

Ensure that all your poultry products are handled safely with this must-read guide for foodservice operators.

The Safe Kitchen

Like other raw foods, poultry should be handled with care to assure safe food preparation. Make sure all staff washes hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds and dries hands with a clean paper towel before and between cooking and food handling.

Countertops and utensils such as knives and cutting boards must be washed thoroughly with hot, soapy water after preparing raw poultry, and before use with other foods. As an added precaution, washed cutting boards may be rinsed with a dilute, freshly made chlorine bleach solution (one tbsp. bleach per quart of water).

Temperatures

Internal temperatures for poultry are as follows:

• Boneless: 165 degrees F
• Bone-in parts: 170 degrees F
• Whole (at the thigh): 180 degrees F
• Reheated leftovers: 165 degrees F

Avoiding Cross-contamination

• Clean the sink before using it for food preparation.
• Wash utensils that have come in contact with the floor or other contaminated areas.
• Use only clean utensils to open packages and cans of food.
• Wash utensils used for tasting before re-using.
• Store raw ingredients on cooler shelves below ready-to-eat foods.
• Refrigerate raw meats and poultry on a plate to prevent contamination of refrigerator shelves.
• Wash cutting boards and countertops with a mild bleach solution after cutting raw foods.
• Place cooked foods on a clean plate instead of returning them to the plate or marinade that held raw foods.