Consumers should leave chicken until the end of their shopping trip and refrigerate it as soon as possible after getting home, the National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA) has advised.
In guidance on buying and storing chicken, ONSSA said consumers should first check where the meat comes from and buy poultry supplied by slaughterhouses or chicken-processing units approved by the food safety office.
Fresh poultry should be displayed at a temperature of no more than 6°C, it said.
ONSSA advised shoppers to buy chicken towards the end of their trip to reduce the amount of time it spends outside proper refrigeration and to carry it in plastic bags intended for that purpose.
Once home, the chicken should be washed, placed in tightly sealed bags and refrigerated promptly, according to the guidance.
ONSSA said chicken stored this way should be kept for no longer than three days.
