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| Script: Chitterlings and Yersiniosis |
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Intro:
Welcome to USDA's Food Safety and Inspection
Service "Food Safety At Home" podcast series, featuring topics
for the safe handling, preparation and storage of meat, poultry
and processed egg products. So, sit back, turn up the volume and
listen in.
Customer:
Good morning, ma'am!
Butcher:
Hi, ma'am. My name is Rachael and I will be your butcher for today. How may I help you?
Customer:
Well, my aunt told me about chitterlings. I never saw them before and have no idea how to cook them.
Can you please show me what they look like?
Butcher:
Absolutely, let me show you…These are what chitterlings look like. Also known as chitlins, they are pig intestines that have been
prepared as food. Some people use chitlins as casings to make homemade sausage, such as blood sausage.
As you can see over here, these chitterlings can be bought in either a 5-lb. or 10-lb. bucket.
Customer:
Ah, now I know what they look like! How are they prepared?
Butcher:
The hardest part of preparing chitterlings is definitely the cleaning step, because it is also the step in which
cross-contamination often occurs.
Customer:
Really? How can we avoid that?
Butcher:
Well, one option is to buy them already cleaned. Preparing chitterlings takes a lot of work and could lead to the
cross-contamination of kitchen countertops, cutting boards and utensils.
Ever hear of the foodborne bacteria called Yersinia enterocolitica?
Customer:
Hmm…I think I've heard that word somewhere before, but never knew what it was! What is it?
Butcher:
During the food safety workshop I took a while ago, I was told that Yersinia enterocolitica is a bacterium found in
pig's intestine that can cause a foodborne illness called yersiniosis. People can get yersiniosis from eating raw or undercooked pork,
or from the cross-contamination of food contact surfaces.
Sadly, many small children contract yersiniosis from either a family member or caretaker that handled pig intestines (or other raw meats)
and didn't wash his or her hands properly before handling the baby and their toys, bottles, or pacifiers.
It's important that when you prepare chitterlings, you need to find someone to take care of your baby and/or small children while you
are in the kitchen. It will prevent cross-contamination and infections.
Customer:
I am sure the same goes for people who are at risk, like older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune system. Right?
Butcher:
Yes, and let's not forget…healthy people can also show symptoms such as watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, fever and vomiting.
Customer:
Oh, my goodness! What can people do to prevent this?
Butcher:
Ah, I was hoping you would ask! Here are the tips I always share with my customers who are interested in buying chitterlings.
- When thawing the raw chitlins in the refrigerator, wrap the container in plastic wrap first.
- For optimum safety, buy pre-cooked chitterlings. However, if you prefer using raw chitlins, pre-boil them for 5 minutes before cleaning and cooking.
- Of course, wash your hands with warm soapy water for a full 20 seconds before and after the preparation of chitterlings.
- Also, wash utensils, cutting boards, dishes, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next item. You can sanitize them with a freshly prepared solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water. Just flood the surface with the bleach solution and allow it to stand for several minutes. Then, rinse with clear water and air dry or pat dry with clean paper towels.
- Boil and simmer chitlins until they are well cooked and tender.
Customer:
Thanks, Rachael! If I need more information on how to cook chitterlings and other meats safely — where can I look it up online?
Butcher:
Yes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service has a Web site you can check out. It's at
www.fsis.usda.gov. Let me write it down for you. (Writing in the background - paper crinkling)
Customer:
Oh, I appreciate that. Thanks again! Have a good day.
Butcher:
Oh, don't forget — please keep children out of the kitchen when you are preparing chitterlings!
Customer:
Will do!
Outro:
Thanks for listening to this Food Safety At Home podcast. Let us know what you think of this podcast by sending
your comments to
podcast@fsis.usda.gov.
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Last Modified: December 21, 2010 |
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