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Should I soak raw chicken in vinegar?


Vinegar is often touted as a natural cleaning and sanitizing agent. Some people claim that soaking raw chicken in vinegar can kill bacteria like salmonella. However, research shows that soaking raw chicken in vinegar is not an effective food safety practice.

Does Vinegar Kill Bacteria on Raw Chicken?

Vinegar contains acetic acid, which can kill some bacteria and viruses. However, research suggests that the acetic acid in vinegar is not strong enough to kill dangerous pathogens like salmonella on raw chicken:

Study Findings
Fukumoto et al. 2011 Immersing contaminated chicken skin in 3% acetic acid solution for 10 minutes only reduced salmonella levels by 1.5 log units (not enough to make the chicken safe to eat).
Sukumaran et al. 2021 Soaking chicken legs in 5% acetic acid solution for 15 minutes reduced salmonella levels by less than 1 log unit.
Nagel et al. 2013 Spraying chicken skin with vinegar reduced salmonella levels by less than 90% after storage.

These studies show that while vinegar has some antimicrobial properties, it does not significantly reduce or eliminate salmonella contamination on raw chicken when used as a quick soak or spray.

Does Vinegar Soak Make Chicken Safe to Eat Undercooked?

Soaking chicken in vinegar does not make it safe to eat rare or undercooked. Poultry should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to kill any potential bacteria present:

Minimum Safe Internal Temperatures for Poultry
165°F (74°C) for all poultry (whole, pieces, or ground)

Even after vinegar soaking, chicken can still contain dangerous pathogens. Cooking to proper temperatures is necessary to ensure safety. Consuming undercooked chicken significantly increases the risk of foodborne illness.

Does Vinegar Remove Sliminess from Chicken?

Many people soak chicken in vinegar to remove sliminess or “slime” from the raw meat. Vinegar can help dissolve some of the mucoproteins on the surface of chicken that create this slippery texture:

Effect of Vinegar on Chicken Sliminess
Acetic acid in vinegar denatures and precipitates mucoproteins on the chicken skin, removing some sliminess.
However, vinegar soak does not completely eliminate the slippery texture or possibility of slime on raw chicken.

While a vinegar soak can reduce sliminess somewhat, it does not guarantee your chicken will be slime-free. Sliminess can still occur even after soaking due to the natural mucus coating on chicken.

Does Soaking in Vinegar Improve Chicken Flavor?

There is little evidence that soaking chicken in vinegar enhances flavor. In fact, vinegar can have the opposite effect:

Effect of Vinegar Soak on Chicken Flavor
Acetic acid in vinegar can denature proteins on the surface of the chicken, resulting in a firm, rubbery texture.
Vinegar soak can leave a strong acidic taste that lingers even after rinsing and cooking.
Marinating chicken in an acidic ingredient like vinegar for too long can chemically “cook” the outer proteins, turning them tough.

For best flavor and texture, vinegar-based marinades should only be used for short periods before cooking chicken. An prolonged vinegar soak is more likely to make the chicken taste acidic and become firm or mushy.

Does Vinegar Remove Salmonella from the Kitchen?

Using vinegar to clean kitchen surfaces can reduce some bacteria. Studies show diluted vinegar is more effective than water alone:

Vinegar as a Kitchen Cleaner
Vinegar has some antimicrobial properties, especially against Salmonella and E. coli.
Diluted vinegar solutions (25% or less) can reduce bacteria on kitchen surfaces by up to 90% compared to water.
Straight vinegar is often no more effective than diluted solutions for cleaning.

However, vinegar alone does not sanitize and cannot completely eliminate salmonella or other pathogens from kitchen surfaces. It is best used in combination with a soap/detergent wash and chlorine-based disinfectant.

Is Rinsing Chicken After Vinegar Soak Necessary?

It is important to thoroughly rinse raw chicken after soaking in vinegar. Studies show rinsing helps remove residual vinegar and reduces risk of chemical reactions during cooking:

Importance of Rinsing Chicken After Vinegar Soak
Prevents vinegar from excessively lowering the pH of chicken, which can affect texture.
Removes acetic acid that can cause undesirable flavors.
Eliminates any increased growth of yeasts/molds from the acidity of vinegar.
Reduces the vinegar odor released during cooking.

Rinsing until the vinegar smell is gone ensures your chicken won’t be overly acidic tasting or have an unpleasant odor when cooked.

Safe Alternatives to Vinegar Chicken Soak

While vinegar alone is not an effective sanitizer for raw chicken, there are other safe ways to clean and prepare chicken:

Safer Alternatives to Vinegar Chicken Soak
– Use lemon/lime juice as a marinade instead of prolonged vinegar soak
– Rinse chicken under cold water before cooking
– Sanitize surfaces with chlorine-based products after handling chicken
– Use a digital food thermometer to ensure chicken reaches 165°F internally
– Avoid washing chicken, which can spread contaminants

Proper handling, rinsing, cooking, and sanitizing are better ways to prevent foodborne illness from chicken. Vinegar alone should not be relied on for safety.

Conclusion

Despite some claims, research shows that soaking raw chicken in vinegar does not significantly reduce dangerous pathogens like salmonella. Vinegar is not strong enough to sanitize the chicken or make it safe for eating undercooked.

While vinegar can help remove some sliminess on chicken, it does not guarantee a slime-free texture. Vinegar soaking can also negatively affect flavor and texture. Thoroughly rinsing chicken after a vinegar soak is recommended.

For food safety, it’s best to rely on proper handling, cooking chicken to the proper internal temperature, and sanitizing kitchen surfaces after contact. Vinegar has limited benefit as a sanitizing soak and should not replace other evidence-based food safety practices when handling raw chicken.