Finger Lickin’ Good Chicken<

Chicken Sauces Information

Spring, summer, winter and fall, adding flavor to chicken can become a challenge. These sauces and coatings are some very delicious alternatives to "just plain chicken"!

Whether you purchase a bucket of chicken, cook it before you leave or BBQ in a nice little picnicing area, there are several important facts you should remember about food safety. Despite what you may have been told, mayonnaise does not increase the chances of food poisoning. Commercially prepared mayonnaise actually contains ingredients that protect against bacteria. Homemade mayonnaise recipes using unpastuerized eggs are what began the myth that mayonnaise causes food poisoning.

“Our studies have shown that when harmful bacteria are added to commercially prepared mayonnasie they die off quickly,” reports Dr. Michael Doyle, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the University of Georgia, Center for Food Safety and Quality Enhancement. Doyle, lead researcher for the most recently completed study, says this ability to kill bacteria is “largely because of the presence of the acid that's added to commercial mayonnaise. This includes vinegar, lemon juice and salt.”

“Many years ago, people were making their mayonnaise from scratch using raw, unpasteurized eggs,” said Pam Chumley, food technologist and executive director for ADS. According to Chumley, today's commercially made mayonnaise and mayonnaise-type salad dressings are carefully formulated and subjected to rigorous quality control measures. “Commercial mayonnaise products are made with pasteurized eggs in a high-acid environment that slows, even inhibits, bacterial growth. It's the low-acid ingredients (chicken, ham, potatoes) that are often mixed with mayonnaise which are most susceptible to the growth of food poisoning bacteria and must be handled properly... ” she reports.
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As with any and all foods, food safety begins at home. Handle all foods with clean hands and utensils. Wash utensils and hands between preparations. Never use the same knife to pare potatoes that you just used to cut up chicken without washing your hands and the knife thoroughly first in hot soapy water.

Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Refrigerate any unused portions as soon as possible. If you have any doubts, throw it away. Practice good food preparation and storage habits and stay safe.

Whenever possible, don't mix high-risk foods with sauces until served, and then only mix what is needed for the meal. Keeping foods separated will help reduce the possibility of contamination.

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