Washing Raw Chicken is Bad?

I came across an old Youtube video today and the video says that according to research, washing raw chicken is a food safety risk. That washing raw chicken (and other poultry) increases our chances of spreading bacteria around the kitchen: sink area, counter top, on your body and any food in the area.

They went on to show an animation of someone washing chicken in the sink and:

1. The tap was turned on full blast. Who washes anything with the tap on full blast, eh?
2. There were vegetables, kitchen paper roll and cheese very close to the sink. Who places these items close to the sink as they wash?

Anyone that washes meat or food items like they showed in the animation will surely get food poisoning at some point.

So let’s look at the best practices for when washing anything at the sink:

1. Turn down the tap to avoid spatter. And if possible, make sure the water does not fall directly on the item being washed but into the pool of surrounding water.
2. Never place food items around your sink area because no matter how careful you are, accidental splashes may happen and soap and dirt will get into the food items in the vicinity.

And this got me thinking how this whole “Do Not Wash Your Chicken” business will not work in my own kitchen.
I wash my chicken and other types of meat before I cook them and I will continue to do so for the following reasons:

1. I buy already de-feathered chicken which looks clean but I can’t help but imagine how many hands have touched the chicken. They may wear gloves while slaughtering and de-feathering but who says that gloves cannot be contaminated?
2. The shop keepers at the market touch the chicken with their bare hands as they slaughter it so … enough said.
3. Though the chicken is already de-feathered, you will still find tiny feathers especially on the neck, wings and the laps. This is especially the case for hen, they do a better job de-feathering the male chicken. After taking these out, some stray feathers stick to the chicken and the only way to get them off completely is by washing the chicken.
4. While the chicken is being slaughtered, tiny bones are released and these stick to the chicken, again washing the chicken helps remove these.
5. I do not leave raw food items around the sink when I am washing anything.
6. I wash chicken using a slow running tap such that water does not spatter all over the sink area so I am convinced that I am not at risk of this so called washing of chicken syndrome lol.

Please watch that video below, if not for anything to learn how NOT to wash your chicken. LOL

Image credit: from the video (Drexel University).