I had Food Network on today... and this show called "Ask Aida" was playing. I had never seen it before (don't care for it, personally). Anyways, there was a viewer question that asked if she was supposed to wash pieces of chicken before cooking or if the heat would kill the germs. ??? Then Aida says that to be safe, she washes her chicken. Why on earth would washing chicken make it safer? You still have to cook it to 160º, no? Maybe I'm missing something... but her answer makes no sense to me. Why would washing a piece of raw meat get rid of germs? As far as I knew, the only way to prevent food borne illness was to thoroughly cook the food... The only thing I can see washing the chicken will accomplish is you splattering the bacteria all over the counter, etc....