Why is cooked chicken high risk food poisoning food?

Cooked chicken can be a high-risk food for food poisoning because it is a moist, protein-rich food that is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. When cooked chicken is not properly cooked or cooled, it can become contaminated with bacteria that can cause food poisoning, such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, and E. coli. These bacteria can multiply rapidly and produce toxins that can cause a variety of symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and chills.

Cooked chicken is particularly high-risk for food poisoning when it is:

- Not cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

- Left at room temperature for more than two hours.

- Cooled too slowly.

- Reheated to a temperature below 165°F (74°C).

- Cooled chicken not reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) within 2 hours of refrigeration or not consumed within 7 days of refrigeration.

To prevent food poisoning from cooked chicken, it is important to:

- Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) as measured by a food thermometer.

- Refrigerate cooked chicken within two hours of cooking.

- Reheat cooked chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before eating.

- Do not leave cooked chicken at room temperature for more than two hours.

- When cooling cooked chicken, divide it into small pieces and store it in shallow containers to allow it to cool quickly.

- Discard any cooked chicken that has been left at room temperature for more than two hours.