Most people know eating undercooked or raw chicken is both incredibly dangerous and unhealthy. However, in a strange twist of events, a man has chosen to eat it “daily” to “see what happens”.
Raw Chicken Experiment
John lives in Florida and has more than 400,000 followers on Instagram. In part, the reason for his popularity has to do with a food experiment he’s chosen to conduct, eating raw chicken every day, for 100 days. He’s documenting his day-by-day intake, captioned “eating raw chicken until I get a tummy ache.”
The experiment began on January 19, 2024. Thus far, John hasn’t suffered any adverse effects but has ingested both raw chicken and eggs. “Day one of eating raw chicken for a hundred days, or until I get a tummy ache. Do not try this at home. Follow me to see what happens,” he shared.
Initially, John attempted to document and share the experiment on TikTok, but his videos were continuously removed. (Perhaps part of TikTok’s mission to eliminate the support of eating disorders.) Relentless, he turned to Instagram to share the raw chicken journey. Nearly a month has gone by since day 1 and he always makes sure to discourage others from trying the same thing. “I try to put disclaimers up all the time that I don’t think anyone else should do this,” he disclosed. “Even in my nutritional research, there are better raw foods to be eating, like beef. This is just a personal experiment for me.”
Experts Advise Against Raw Chicken
Although he seems to be doing just fine health-wise, it’s unknown if John’s raw chicken experiment will have lasting health concerns down the road. In fact, due to the number of people who report food-borne illnesses, the CDC, highly advises against partaking in an experiment as potentially hazardous as this. “In the United States, people consume chicken more than beef, pork, or turkey. When cooked, chicken can be a nutritious choice, but raw chicken can be contaminated with Campylobacter, Salmonella, or Clostridium perfringens germs.” Explained the website page regarding food poisoning. “If you eat undercooked chicken, you can get a foodborne illness, also called food poisoning. You can also get sick if you eat other foods or beverages that are contaminated by raw chicken or its juices.”
An estimated 1 million people a year get sick from illnesses related to ingesting foods contaminated by food-borne pathogens. While a seemingly low number in comparison to the total U.S. population, these illnesses can in some cases result in more than just severe discomfort to the body. In some cases, food-borne illnesses can also be life-threatening.
Proper Care and Handling
Preventing food-borne illness is easy to do but does require a few steps. First, at the grocery store, packages of raw chicken should be bagged in a separate plastic bag. This is to avoid contaminating other items in the cart, grocery bags, or fridge. Second, store it on the bottom shelf of the fridge. This will prevent juice from dripping onto other food items. Next, always wash your hands before and after handling raw chicken, the CDC recommends for at least 20 seconds.
Then, it’s also suggested not to wash the chicken before cooking. While some may find this a little off-putting, it turns out that washing raw chicken can leave behind, in the sink, nearly impossible-to-clean bacteria. Moreover, never use the same cutting board for raw chicken as for other meats, produce, or bread. Lastly, ensure that the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165 degrees F, and put the leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours, or after the chicken has been sitting in a hot car or the sun.
Eating Some but not Others
Many wonder why beef or fish can be eaten raw but not chicken. In contrast, Japan does have a raw chicken delicacy. However, it’s a rare dish to find and does make things a little more complicated. First eating undercooked meats is always a gamble because if the food is still contaminated, it’ll make you sick. However, if there were few or no pathogens to begin with, it wouldn’t make you sick.
Fundamentally, the chicken that can be served raw is from a specific breed, called Shamo, and feeds on a “particular” diet of natural antiseptics, such as wasabi leaves. Furthermore, beef and fish contain fewer pathogens than chicken and are, therefore, less likely to carry food-borne illnesses. It’s also noted that how these meats are handled and prepared also plays a major role in their ability to be consumed rare or raw.
John isn’t quite halfway through his raw chicken experiment but luckily, has yet to feel any health risks. However, he’s still got a way to go before he hits his 100-day goal. Hopefully, he’ll be fine. Either way, others shouldn’t attempt the same experiment.