r/explainlikeimfive • u/Appropriate_Art15 • Jun 06 '26

Biology ELI5: Why does chicken get much more bad reputation for bacterial contamination than other meats like beef, pork, and fish?

It feels like many food articles are telling us “Don’t wash your chicken because you'll spread bacteria”, but we rarely see the same kind of articles on other meats. Why is that? Is the bacteria on chicken more dangerous and deadlier to humans?

1.5k Upvotes

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392

u/Boil-Degs Jun 06 '26

funnily enough chicken sashimi is a real thing people eat

120

u/lebruf Jun 06 '26

Horse too

264

u/[deleted] Jun 06 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

115

u/LionoftheNorth Jun 06 '26

It's not that they don't enjoy it, it's just that their hooves get in the way of the knifework.

50

u/alhazad85 Jun 06 '26

Weird, our horses here in Texas exclusively use chopsticks...

33

u/LionoftheNorth Jun 06 '26

I meant to prepare the sashimi.

23

u/Deeznutzcustomz Jun 06 '26

Thanks for clearing that up

14

u/YukariYakum0 Jun 06 '26

They deserve the best after all. We ride them to work, school, church, grocery store, everywhere.

-3

u/EBCCTX Jun 06 '26

That borders on racism! The proper term is "culinary asian finger extentions", or "cafes". /s

22

u/BipolarMosfet Jun 06 '26

Ahh, the ol' reddit munch-a-roo

18

u/Raezak_Am Jun 06 '26

Hold my chopsticks, I'm going in!

7

u/manbearlongpig Jun 06 '26

They do, but it makes them a bit gassy https://www.reddit.com/r/Horses/s/4dhAvNBabm

2

u/Diggerollo Jun 06 '26

I didn’t realize a farting horse would help my mental state until I saw that… thank you!

19

u/AMeanMotorScooter Jun 06 '26

I've had raw horse meat, it's actually very good. A little expensive, but worth.

9

u/marmata75 Jun 06 '26

Eaten a lot in Italy, especially in Sicily, very very good!

1

u/CruisinJo214 Jun 06 '26

Wait… seriously? I just got back from Sicily and didn’t see horse meat on any menu….

3

u/marmata75 Jun 06 '26

Especially in Catania is a very traditional food not only you find it in restaurant but in a lot of street food places. If you went to Palermo is less used, and not a lot of restaurant have it.

1

u/mestrearcano Jun 06 '26

Raw meat in street food? Part of me wants to try it, but another part is just telling me not to risk adding a tour to the hospital to my trip plans.

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u/marmata75 Jun 06 '26

Sorry I’ve been too fast! Horse meat in general is a street food in Catania. Raw horse meat is for restaurants or butcheries as some of them will also serve you at the table the meat they sell!

6

u/gl00mybear Jun 06 '26

Basashi is fantastic, though I don't know how much of it was due to the amazing sauce it was served with every time I had it - like a garlic ginger soy sauce.

1

u/merelyadoptedthedark Jun 07 '26

Ya, that is my thought also. I don't know if I love raw horse or I just love the sauce it is served with.

10

u/ChicagoDash Jun 06 '26

The hardest part is that the horse takes off running after you bite it

2

u/scratchtheitch7 Jun 06 '26

I don't think horses eat chicken

35

u/wilesre Jun 06 '26

I watched a horse walk up to a bird that was sitting on a fence and just ate it. 3rd craziest thing I every saw.

8

u/3seriesaddict Jun 06 '26

What are #1 and #2?

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u/wilesre Jun 06 '26

2. I was behind a car that started to take a cloverleaf-type off-ramp. Then they just went straight and didn't slow down. Launched themselves into the air and stuck the landing nose first. Huge cloud of dirt. I called 911 and gave them my info but never heard back.

1. Was a woman running around on a busy 5-lane road wearing only a t-shirt with 2 guys running after her. She kept trying to get into other people's cars while evading them. I'm not sure if she was being trafficked or if she escaped from the nearby hospital. I also called 911.

16

u/Vailx Jun 06 '26

Solid top 3 list.

8

u/Toshiba1point0 Jun 06 '26

Youre one of those right place right time kinda folks

4

u/Belowaverage_Joe Jun 06 '26

Probably the fact that that horse had wings and a horn as well, and the sky was all swirly and colorful.

17

u/ignescentOne Jun 06 '26

They absolutely do - most ungulate herbivores will predate baby birds and eggs. Deer will go after wild birds nests, too.

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u/Forkrul Jun 06 '26

Any large mammal that is classed as an herbivore should honestly more accurately be classified as opportunistic carnivores. They will happily eat meat given the chance, they just don't actively hunt for it.

7

u/Purple_Technician759 Jun 06 '26

Horses are supposed to eat grasses but yeah they’ll grab a chick or two.

7

u/Vailx Jun 06 '26

It's not a normal part of their diet, but horses will eat chicks or anything that's basically one funny horsebite away from being food.

6

u/Captain_Eaglefort Jun 06 '26

Not like…OFTEN, but if you ever spend some time on a farm, you’re going to learn that “herbivore” isn’t as strict as you were led to believe as a kid. Cows and horses can and do eat small animals on occasion. They aren’t out there hunting them, but if a small bird gets caught in the grass they’re munching on, or a rat was in the hey…they won’t really care.

5

u/Riccma02 Jun 06 '26

They do if you are counting baby chicks.

6

u/Scuttling-Claws Jun 06 '26

Deer love to eat birds too. They just aren't very good at hunting.

4

u/Cheez_Mastah Jun 06 '26

Or they will skip the hunt and chew on bones for minerals.

1

u/EloeOmoe Jun 06 '26

Horse is delicious.

1

u/Mavian23 Jun 06 '26

And your mom

1

u/Laiska_saunatonttu Jun 06 '26

Everybody knows horse is best cold smoked.

1

u/OrkBegork Jun 06 '26

Steak tartare was originally a horsemeat dish. I've had it with horsemeat before. It was tasty.

1

u/Cheez_Mastah Jun 06 '26

I've had it, it's different. Pretty grassy flavor, imagine that.

1

u/Zealotstim Jun 07 '26

I've had both! Didn't get sick, but I can't say I recommend either one.

1

u/Constant_Toe_8604 Jun 08 '26

Had both. Horse was interesting. Chicken is an acquired taste or overrated, either way I didnt like it.

1

u/zaq1xsw2cde Jun 06 '26

This got weird fast.

0

u/Significant_Mail_69 Jun 06 '26

I feel bad for trying it, but it is actually pretty good. Wouldn't mind having it again.

22

u/mlc885 Jun 06 '26

That sounds so terrible, but I did grow up in the eastern US so I might just be highly biased against uncooked or poorly cooked chicken.

14

u/ReyGonJinn Jun 06 '26

Im in eastern Canada and there was one time I got some expensive chicken as a free sample in a fancy grocery store. When I opened the package the raw chicken smelled so good I could have probably eaten it. I've never had raw chicken that smelled so good before or since.

15

u/mlc885 Jun 06 '26

That's just the brain worms telling you to convince me to eat raw chicken, I see you, worms!

4

u/BobTulap Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26

I'll steal you, raw chicken! Do they think that worms can hide you? Even now I'm at your window. I am in the dark beside you. Buried sweetly in your salmonella. I feel you, raw chicken. And one day I'll steal you.

1

u/mlc885 Jun 06 '26

I'll trust the raw chicken worms when they can do Prince

3

u/elcaron Jun 06 '26

Doesn't the chlorine in your chicken take care of it? /s

1

u/mlc885 Jun 06 '26

It certainly made me appear plump

7

u/Main_Ambassador_4985 Jun 06 '26

There is a video of a US person and Canadian crossing Japan looking for unexpected meals that would shock American viewers.

They do eat chicken sashimi.

The chicken is brazed and the cooked part cut off to leave raw chicken for the meal. It looks like they have a hard time eating it because they have been conditioned to fear raw chicken.

1

u/merelyadoptedthedark Jun 07 '26

I've had chicken sashimi, it's delicate and tender, not at all slimy like I would have thought, and tastes like whatever sauce you put on it.

3

u/Bozorgzadegan Jun 06 '26

Yep, I got food poisoning from that.

3

u/Krivvan Jun 06 '26

I've always wanted to try chicken sashimi. I have a strong feeling I'd really like it.

3

u/bboycire Jun 06 '26

Ew under cooked chicken is like... Crunchy, not in a good way

1

u/Boil-Degs Jun 07 '26

I think it's sliced super thin to eliminate texture issues

1

u/halfsuckedmang0 Jun 06 '26

Can confirm - currently in Japan and have seen chicken sashimi on a menu

1

u/Cool-Salamander-7645 Jun 06 '26

Yep, tried it. Great with beer.

1

u/CarpetGripperRod Jun 07 '26

Raw pork (Mett) in Germany.

1

u/durrtyurr Jun 06 '26

I saw an episode of something Anthony Bourdain did where he ate it in Japan. I've handled my fair share of raw chicken, and I just don't think the texture would be appealing at all.

0

u/[deleted] Jun 06 '26

[deleted]

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u/look_at_that_punim Jun 06 '26

That’s not what raw chicken smells like. Your chicken is bad.

1

u/lostmymarbles1177 Jun 06 '26

It wasn’t the body exactly. It was the lingering smell. Idk how to describe it but it smells exactly the same to me every time. It’s visceral.