Recent USDA research has found that washing or rinsing meat or poultry increases the risk for cross-contamination in the kitchen, which can cause foodborne illness. It's time to leave this habit in the past and make washing meat and poultry as outdated as not wearing a seatbelt.

Is rinsing meat bad?

"Washing or rinsing raw meat and poultry can increase your risk as bacteria spreads around your kitchen," cautioned Carmen Rottenberg, Administrator of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. "But not washing your hands for 20 seconds immediately after handling those raw foods is just as dangerous."

Why you should not rinse meat?

Don't rinse meat before cooking.

Any bacteria that might be on it will be killed during the cooking process. In fact, rinsing meat before cooking it can actually do more harm than good. When you rinse raw meat, bacteria can be splashed on other items in your kitchen and spread to other foods, utensils and surfaces.