CHICKEN COOKING BASICS

Chicken, one of the most versatile of all foods, can be prepared in literally thousands of different ways. But there are a few basics every cook should know.

Cook and serve chicken in any of the following ways. Or use these methods as the start of other creative dishes. One 3 1/2 pound chicken serves 4 and yields about 3 cups of diced meat.

Safe Handling

Consumers should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for 15 to 20 seconds, particularly after having handled raw poultry and raw eggs. Also, consumers should separate raw poultry and raw eggs from other food products to avoid cross-contamination. To avoid getting a food borne illness from disease-causing bacteria and viruses, consumers should follow safe food handling practices as described by the Partnership for Food Safety Education.

https://www.canfightbac.org/cpcfse/en/

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TESTING FOR DONENESS

To limit the risk of infection from bacteria and viruses such as Avian Influenza (Bird Flu), consumers should ensure that poultry is thoroughly cooked (juices run clear and no visible pink meat). Whatever method used for cooking chicken, the most accurate test for doneness is a meat thermometer. The National Chicken Council recommends the following:

Whole chicken should reach an internal temperature of 82 degree C. at deepest part of thigh (without touching bone).
Bone-in parts should be cooked to a temperature of 77 degree C.
Boneless Chicken is done at 74 degree C.
Ground Chicken 80 degree C.

When microwaving, it is better to undercook than to overcook. Return chicken to microwave for 1 or 2 additional minutes if needed after checking for doneness.

Remember

Chicken should always be “well done” never “medium” and or “rare.”

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THAWING CHICKEN

Fridge/Refrigerator

Thaw chicken in the refrigerator or in cold water, never on the counter top. It takes 24 hours to thaw a 4-pound chicken in the refrigerator; cut-up parts, 3 to 9 hours.

Microwave

To thaw in the microwave, follow manufacturer’s instructions for defrosting chicken in a microwave appliance. Cook immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving. Chicken defrosted in microwave or by cold water method should be cooked before refreezing.

Quick Thaw

Thaw in cold water, with the chicken in a water-tight package. Change water often. Whole chicken should take 1-½ hours to defrost.

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CHICKEN NUTRITION

Chicken is high in protein, low in fat and low in cholesterol, making it a good selection for a healthy diet. Our bodies require a certain amount of protein daily and the body does not store protein so we need to replenish it each day. 3-ounce portion of chicken provides a large amount of our daily requirement for protein. Our bodies also require fat in our diet, which allows us to absorb vitamins that are fat-soluble and energy producing. But, too much fat is not healthy. Chicken is lower in fat than most other meats and over half of the fat is unsaturated fat, the type that helps lower cholesterol. The white meat is lower in fat than the dark meat of the chicken but the dark meat is higher in iron, an import ant nutrient for a healthy body.

Serving size: 85 grams of meat without bone and skin, roasted; also without additional fat, salt, sodium, sauce, and or other ingredients.

Source: USDA data

Meat Comparisons

Serving Size: 85 grams edible portion, cooked.
Source: USDA data

https://www.usda.gov

AVIAN INFLUENZA INFORMATION (BIRD FLU)

Seasons Foods is dedicated to work closely with government and industry experts to ensure the safety of poultry products for our consumers.

WHAT IS AVIAN INFLUENZA (BIRD FLU)?

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) (AI), also called avian flu or bird flu is a viral infection that can affect many species of birds.

The virus can be classified into two categories: Low Pathogenic and High Pathogenic based on the severity of the illness caused in domesticated poultry.

Low Pathogenic

Most AI viruses are low pathogenic and typically cause little or no clinical signs in infected birds. Wild birds are not generally affected by the disease but can still transmit the disease to domestic poultry.

High Pathogenic

On rare occasions high pathogenic AI may cause disease in humans. Transmission to humans has occurred by people having close contact with infected birds or heavily contaminated environments. Health Canada and USDA states that “there is no evidence to suggest that the consumption of cooked poultry or eggs could transmit avian flu to humans”. To limit potential risks, poultry and eggs should be thoroughly cooked to kill any possible viruses or bacteria.

Is Menu Chicken safe to eat?

• Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) is not a food borne disease.
• You cannot get Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) from eating properly cooked chicken products.

ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING CHICKEN

Zakkaytum is a verb derived from the root word Zakah (to purify). Its infinitive is Tazkiyah which means purification. The Islamic mode of slaughtering chickenrequires the following conditions to be met:

a. Chicken should be slaughtered with sharp object (knife). The chicken has to be slaughtered with a sharp object (knife) and in a fast way so that the pain of slaughter is minimised.

b. Cut wind pipe, throat and vessels of neck Zabiha is an Arabic word which means ‘slaughtered’. The ‘slaughtering’ is to be done by cutting the throat, windpipe and the blood vessels in the neck causing the chicken’s death without cutting the spinal cord.

c. Blood should be drained The blood has to be drained completely before the head is removed. The purpose is to drain out most of the blood which would serve as a good culture medium for micro organisms. The spinal cord must not be cut because the nerve fibres to the heart could be damaged during the process causing cardiac arrest, stagnating the blood in the blood vessels.

Blood is a good medium for germs and bacteria

Blood is a good media of germs, bacteria, toxins, etc. Therefore the Muslim way of slaughtering is more hygienic as most of the blood containing germs, bacteria, toxins, etc. that are the cause of several diseases are eliminated.

Meat remains fresh for a longer time

Meat slaughtered by Islamic way remains fresh for a longer time due to deficiency of blood in the meat as compared to other methods of slaughtering.

Chicken does not feel pain

The swift cutting of vessels of the neck disconnects the flow of blood to the nerve of the brain responsible for pain. Thus the chicken does not feel pain.
While dying, the chicken struggles, writhers, shakes and kicks, not due to pain, but due to the contraction and relaxation of the muscles defecient in blood and due to the flow of blood out of the body.

https://www.worldhalalforum.org