Codex Updates Chicken Safety Guidance for Home Cooks

An international food-safety update has put chicken preparation back in focus. On 6 July 2026, the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission adopted revised guidelines for controlling Campylobacter and Salmonella in chicken meat. The revision, identified as CXG 78-2011, follows updated expert advice from the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment.

The announcement covers the whole food chain, from primary production to consumption. It is not a product recall and does not identify a particular brand or batch. Instead, it updates an international framework used to help manage two important foodborne hazards associated with chicken meat. For people cooking at home, the practical message is simple: careful handling, thorough cooking and prompt chilling still matter every time.

Why the revision matters

FAO and WHO say the new guidance is timely because their updated estimates of the global burden of foodborne disease identify non-typhoidal Salmonella as causing more burden than any other microbiological hazard, while Campylobacter causes the greatest number of foodborne disease cases. The organisations also describe chicken meat as one of the most important food vehicles for transmission of these hazards.

That does not mean every pack of chicken is unsafe. It means raw poultry should be treated as a food that can carry harmful bacteria until it has been handled and cooked correctly. The Codex revision is aimed mainly at food-chain controls, but it gives home cooks a useful reason to revisit the basics rather than relying on appearance, habit or guesswork.

A practical chicken-safety routine

The following checklist combines the new FAO/WHO focus on chicken safety with the home-handling advice published by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Keep it cold from the shop to the fridge. Put raw chicken in the refrigerator promptly and keep the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. If you will not use fresh chicken within one to two days, freeze it. Keep the package contained so leaking juices cannot reach ready-to-eat food.
Thaw it safely. The safest method is thawing in the refrigerator. You can also thaw chicken in cold water inside leak-proof packaging, changing the water every 30 minutes, or use a microwave. Chicken thawed in cold water or in a microwave should be cooked immediately. Never thaw raw chicken on the counter.
Do not wash raw chicken. Rinsing or soaking does not destroy bacteria and can spread contaminated droplets to sinks, boards, utensils and nearby food. Keep raw chicken separate from salads, bread, cooked food and anything that will not be cooked again. Wash hands, utensils and work surfaces with soap and water after handling the raw poultry.
Use a food thermometer. Cook every part of the chicken to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F (73.9°C). Check the thickest part of a breast, thigh or other piece, avoiding bone. Colour is not a reliable safety test: cooked poultry can remain pink even when it is safe, so temperature is the dependable check.
Chill leftovers promptly. Move cooked chicken into shallow, covered containers and refrigerate it promptly. USDA guidance says cooked chicken leftovers should generally be eaten within three to four days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (73.9°C), checking the centre rather than judging by a hot surface.

What the announcement changes at home

The Codex decision does not replace local food-safety rules, product labels or advice from national authorities. It also does not create a new cooking time for every chicken recipe. Oven temperature, piece size, starting temperature and the shape of the dish all affect how quickly the centre heats, which is why a thermometer is more useful than a single time estimate.

It is also important not to confuse a clean-looking kitchen with a controlled risk. Cross-contamination can happen when raw poultry juice touches a knife, cutting board, fridge shelf or salad ingredient. A separate board for raw meat is useful, but separation only works if the board and utensils are washed before they are used for ready-to-eat food. The same rule applies to hands: washing after touching the package, raw meat or its juices is part of the cooking process.

The useful takeaway

The FAO/WHO revision is a food-chain announcement, but its household takeaway is concrete. Store chicken cold, thaw it safely, keep it away from ready-to-eat food, skip the rinse, and verify 165°F (73.9°C) in the thickest part with a thermometer. Once cooked, refrigerate leftovers promptly and reheat them thoroughly.

Those steps will not make raw chicken risk-free before cooking, and they are not a substitute for an official recall notice if one is issued. They are the routine controls a home cook can apply immediately while governments and food businesses continue working across the wider chain described by the revised Codex guidance.