3 Myths About Food Safety You Should Stop Believing Today

Hey Geeks,

We're all familiar with that moment of hesitation—unsure whether to follow someone else's advice when it comes to good food safety practices.

I've experienced this firsthand, more than once, throughout my auditing days. Some instances were amusing in theory but far from funny in practice, while others were genuinely concerning because unsafe methods were actually being implemented.

That’s what inspired me to write this article and share some common food safety myths about the misconception that you probably didn’t know.

Myth No. 1: "The sniff test is enough to tell if food is safe to eat"

Many people believe that if food smells fine, it’s safe to eat. We likely inherited this ideology from older generations, in which our grandparents often used smell as a sensory verification to determine if food was still good. I remember my grandma telling me that if it didn’t smell sour or foul, it was still safe to eat—even past its expiration date.

However, the reality is that harmful bacteria like Salmonella and Listeria don’t always make food smell or look bad.

Just because something passes the smell test doesn’t mean it’s free from pathogens. Bacteria can multiply without any obvious signs, meaning you could be taking a risk without even realising it.

Instead of relying on your nose, it’s better to follow proper food storage guidelines, pay attention to expiration dates, and be mindful of time and temperature control.

That way, you can ensure your food is truly safe—not just seemingly fresh.

Myth No. 2: "Washing raw chicken before cooking makes it safer"

Now, this myth is one of the most searched topics on Google. Many people still believe that washing raw chicken before cooking makes it safer, but in reality, it does more harm than good.

When you rinse raw chicken under running water, tiny droplets splash onto nearby surfaces, spreading bacteria like Campylobacter and Salmonella to your sink, countertops, and even other foods.

These harmful microbes are so small that they can be transferred by water droplets or frequent contact points if not handled with care. This cross-contamination is a major cause of foodborne illness and can easily turn a simple meal prep into a health risk.

Imagine this: You’ve just finished rinsing raw chicken. While still holding the chicken, you haven’t sanitised your hands with soap yet. You then reach out to turn off the tap, open the countertop drawer to grab a plate for the chicken, and close the drawer again.

Through this simple process, you’ve not only contaminated the countertop with splatter but also the tap, the drawer handles, and even the plate section.

The truth is, washing does nothing to remove harmful bacteria from the chicken itself. The only way to ensure safety is to cook it properly. Heat is your best defence—cooking chicken to at least 75°C (165°F) effectively kills any bacteria present. Instead of washing, focus on safer handling practices.

Wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw chicken, use separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables, and always sanitise your kitchen surfaces. These simple steps do far more to keep your food safe than rinsing ever could.

Myth No. 3: "If food is cooked, it’s automatically safe to eat"

Here's a new fear you might not have considered. Many people assume that once food is cooked, it's completely safe to eat, but that’s not always the case.

While cooking does kill most bacteria, it doesn’t eliminate toxins produced by certain bacteria when food isn’t stored correctly. Harmful microbes like Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus can multiply if food sits at an unsafe temperature for too long, and reheating won’t destroy the toxins they leave behind.

This means that even leftovers can make you sick if they weren’t stored and reheated correctly. The best way to avoid this is to refrigerate food within two hours, keep your fridge below 5°C, and always reheat meals to at least 75°C before eating.

Also, heat won’t remove chemical contamination if food has been exposed to harmful cleaning agents.

Hope you enjoyed debunking food safety myths with us today!

Until next time~

About the Writer:

Rayki is the founder of FoodCorp, a food safety management training provider dedicated to simplifying learning challenges and offering long-term guidance. With over 15 years of experience across various industries, he specialises in food safety systems, from audits to training, with a focus on empowering internal teams. Holding a master’s degree in food science and innovation from MMU (UK), Rayki combines expertise in food science and risk assessment to help organisations build resilient, tailored food safety management systems.