Your BBQ Chicken is Packing Heat

Well, it's almost here, another Fourth of July to celebrate (or not.)

He may look clean but
he could be a ticking time-bomb

While you are getting ready for the fun-filled day of out-door cooking, and picnic partying, don't forget to wash that chicken thoroughly with soap and water before tossing it on the fiery grill, unless you want to take a chance at being one of the unlucky winners in the E.coli sweepstakes.

Since 51.8% of tested chickens at grocery stores are contaminated with antibiotic-resistant E.coli, odds are you could be among the lucky winners, or casualties, who get to spend their post-fourth of July fun in the local hospital.

Just think of all that great hospital food you get to throw up!

Since many the nation's livestock breeders are slackers when it comes to animal husbandry, they have created a Frankenstein's monster of a E.coli super-bug that is antibiotic resistant. This killer bug was created by the corner-cutting-profits-are-all-we-live-for practice of cramming animals together in inhumane and unsanitary conditions. Factory farmers pump antibiotics into healthy animals as a way to dodge the disease bullet in a profits before safety game of Russian roulette. As long as they get the empty chamber when the trigger is pulled, and never get the bullet, they just keep on playing.

But the bullet is there, and the gun's pointing at your head clueless consumer.

Right now, a whopping 80% of all antibiotics sold in the U.S. are fed to livestock. All this is done to promote weight gain and stave off the bacteria found in livestock pens and feed lots. So far, the FDA has done nothing but issue voluntary guidelines to the food and pharmaceutical industries where they can choose to, (A) follow, or (B) ignore. Since most pick choice number two simply because they can, they continue to play high-stakes bacteria poker with you and your kid's health.

So, play it safe this Fourth of July by washing poultry and soaking it in salt water for an hour before cooking. First rub the meat with salt (Kosher is best) and place in cold water with 4 Tbs of salt. Put only enough water to cover your tainted bird and soak. This should do the trick, then rinse in clean water and pat dry.

There you go! You dodged that bullet and have increased your odds of making it another year.

Unless of course you are one of those people who think the picture on the right is a fire-cracker.

Sadly, there's no hope for you.


Have a happy, safe, E.coli free Fourth of July.

ickenittle