Food Safety Practices for Poultry

Poultry and Game Dishes

• Poultry refers to domesticated birds raised for eggs and meat.
• Chickens are the most popular poultry for meat and egg production.
• Ducks are waterfowl, popular in Asian cuisine.
• Geese are related to ducks, and are eaten in some cultures.
• Turkeys are domesticated varieties of American wild birds, popular in Australia.
• Game birds are wild birds hunted for food.

Market Forms of Poultry

• Whole chicken: Marketed fresh or frozen, considered a budget-friendly option.
• Cuts: Whole chicken cut into different parts (e.g., wing tip, breast fillet, thigh, drumstick).
• Roast chicken: Whole chicken cooked using dry heat (oven or open fire).
• Ready-to-cook: Poultry parts separately packaged for convenience.

Different Cuts of Poultry

• Whole chicken: The entire bird, excluding the head and giblets.
• Halves: Chicken split from front to back, through the backbone and keel, producing two halves of roughly equal weight.
• Breast: Popular cut with high protein and low fat content.
• Drumstick: The portion between the knee joint and hock.
• Legs: Combining the drumstick and thigh.
• Tenders: Meat beneath the breast, ideal for strips or fillets.
• Thigh: Located above the knee joint, renowned for taste.
• Whole wings: Include drumette, wing-mid section, and tip.
• 8-Piece cut: Whole bird divided into two breasts, two wings, two thighs, and two drumsticks.
• Wing-mid section: The portion between the elbow and tip, sometimes known as the wing flat or mid-joint.

Guidelines for Purchasing Poultry

Live Chicken

• Select alert, healthy, well-feathered, and well-formed birds.
• Eyes should be bright and alert.
• The chicken's body should be free of injuries and skin damage.
• A good layer of fat is desired and free of tears, broken bones, bruises, and blisters.
• Younger chickens are generally more tender.

Live Chicken (Continued)

• Breastbone tip should be flexible.
• Chicken should have a plump, well-rounded body.
• Skin should be clean, smooth, and pliable.

Dressed Chicken

• Look for birds with intact heads, feet, and viscera.
• The bird should be clean and well-fleshed, with moderate fat covering.
• Ensure absence of pin feathers, cuts, or tears.
• Avoid chickens with missing parts, broken bones, or discoloration.

Ready-to-cook

• Chicken should be cleaned and eviscerated with feet and head removed.
• Available chilled or frozen.
• Ensure chilled poultry is stored in the refrigerator for no more than three days.