Recently, the Jerusalem Post reported that the Israel Ministry of Health stated that they cannot prevent Salmonella on the retail level… and that they know that Salmonella exists in Israeli poultry. Sounds really scary, right?

Q: “Does this mean I can’t have chicken in Israel?”
A: Of course not! But some precautions are needed.

 
Israelis love a fresh Pargit or chicken skewer with salad and humus. The Mediterranean Diet (the dominant diet in Israel and the Mediterranean basic) is in fact rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, grains… and low fat poultry. The Diet has been shown in medical studies to be beneficial in reducing heart disease, cancer, and maybe even depression and diabetes. The diet also reduces the risk of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s ! The Mediterranean Diet is endorsed by the American Heart Association, the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, WebMD, and the NIH. Using the guidelines below, everyone can enjoy the delicious food products Israel is famous for – while staying safe!

 
The Israel Ministry of Health has a website with information on how a consumer can protect themselves from Salmonella… the problem is, the site is only in Hebrew. So what is an English speaker studying, living, or visiting in Israel to do?

 
EMA Care to the rescue. Here are 10 recommendations for the safe purchase, storage, handling, and disposal of poultry (including chicken, schnitzel, pargit, turkey, duck)

1. Only purchase packaged poultry with a clear expiration date. Make sure the package is intact and not torn or open. Remember that in Israel and Europe, dates are in the day/month/year format. So September 12 2015 will appear as 12/9/15.

1. If you purchase fresh, uncooked poultry items, ask the butcher to present an original product label including a clear indication of the expiration date. In Israel, it is culturally acceptable to ask butchers for the original labels for expiration date, brand name, and kosher status.

1. Keep your poultry in separate bag, away from other food purchases.

1. Purchase poultry only from air-conditioned, well-lit, clean stores. This seems logical, but many people purchase chicken from souks or shuk stalls with no refrigerated containers… Don’t do it!

1. Purchase poultry from butchers who are neatly dressed, clean, and with the appearance of good personal hygiene. Don’t be fooled by butchers who wear gloves. I have observed chefs wearing gloves while handling raw chicken… and then observed them handle money, touch their faces, touching vegetables (when preparing salads and sandwiches), opening drawers and refrigerators, and handling clean dishes. I cringed and realized that just about everything in the restaurant was contaminated with potential bacteria. THIS IS UNSAFE PRACTICE.  Disposable gloves may be used for handling raw poultry, but they are supposed to be DISPOSED of afterwards. What did I do? I asked the cook to remove his gloves, wash his hands, and put on a fresh pair while explaining the dangers of cross contamination to him. I hope it worked, but at least I knew that he was handling my chicken safely.

1. Purchase poultry that is either raw (as described above), cooked/roasted in the store, or in properly labeled packages only.

1. Only purchase poultry with appropriate color, odor, and appearance. Many butchers (in the US particularly) place meat products on red backgrounds to give it a fresher visual appearance, but this may mask your ability to see whether the color is actually fresh. Stale poultry turns paler than the normal pinky-peach color.

1. Poultry should be stored in refrigerators at 0-4 degrees Celsius, or 32-40 degrees Fahrenheit. Products can be frozen at -18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit).

1. Unpack your poultry as soon as you get home, and refrigerate or freeze it immediately.

1. All surfaces that come into contact with raw poultry should be cleaned with a disposable towel and bleach spray. This will prevent the spread of any bacteria.

Additional resource: The FDA has a list of recommendations for storing poultry, fish, and meat.

EMA Care provides professional health liaison services for English-speaking (Yeshiva, Seminary, College) students in Israel, tourists visiting Israel, and residents of Israel. www.healthcareisrael.com
eliana@healthcareisrael.com