Do you rinse your fish and chicken before cooking - moved from General Chowhounding board

[paulispumonti]

Watching the food shows on TV, they generally open up a supermarket package of the above and may just season the item and off to the oven it goes... I have a habit of rinsing fish and chicken with cold water before cooking, and then drying with a paper towel....there's usually a little slime, and I just feel better about giving a good rinse!!!!! Is this necessary????

[NOLA_Pam]

Never rinse either one and I'm still alive at 63 to tell the tale, as areall my family and guests.

[BernalKC]

Food TV is not big on details. Showing proper handling of food (not to mention showing all the prep steps) does not yield bigger ratings. I'd go with Karl_S's advice and do what you like.

[Karl S]

The food commentariat has shifted ground on this and now tends to advise against it - the cooking will kill any surface contamination, rinsing won't remove non-surface contamination, but rinsing increases the risk of cross-contamination. Or so the current preference argument runs.

Do whatever you like.

[ammel_99]

I always wash my chicken with cold water and vinegar. The slimy film on the chicken is kind of gross!

[small h]

I don't know if it's necessary, but I rinse fish also. Many hands may have touched it, and the paper it's wrapped in.