# Ducks and salmonella **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 1, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ducks-and-salmonella/333563 "2005-12-01T15:26:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ducks-and-salmonella/333563/1 "2005-12-01T15:26:23Z")
In my obsessive watching of cooking shows, one thing I’ve noticed frequently is that cooks will often cook their ducks to rare/medium-rare. Not just a case of it looking rare because of the fact that duck meat is darker than chicken, but they’ll specifically say that they’re cooking it to medium-rare, or whatever. I also remember seeing an episode of Good Eats where Alton Brown claimed that salmonella poisoning in ducks isn’t an issue because the hot wax procedure that is used to remove the feathers effectively kills any of the salmonella bacteria. This seems a little odd to me though. Not that I am one to ever question my personal idol, but for some reason it just doesn’t make sense to me. So does anyone have the Straight Dope? Do ducks carry the same risk as chicken as far as salmonella goes? Or can duck meat be safely cooked to medium rare? (I ask this question as I have a duck in the oven that I’ve already decided to thoroughly cook, just to be safe. Would be nice to know for future reference though.) ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ducks-and-salmonella/333563/2 "2005-12-02T00:53:41Z")
While noting that paraffin is indeed used to remove the pinfeathers, the Feds [still note that](http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Duck_&_Goose_from_Farm_to_Table/index.asp)… > [@](#): > > As on any perishable meat, fish or poultry, bacteria can be found on raw or undercooked duck or goose. Bacteria multiply rapidly at temperatures between 40° and 140° F (out of refrigeration and before thorough cooking occurs). Freezing doesn’t kill bacteria but they are destroyed by thorough cooking of any food to 160° F. > > Salmonella is often associated with shell eggs and poultry. It may be found in the intestinal tracts of livestock, poultry, dogs, cats and other warm-blooded animals. This strain is only one of about 2,000 Salmonella bacteria. Freezing doesn’t kill this microorganism but it is destroyed with thorough cooking of any food to 160° F. > > Salmonella must be eaten to cause illness. Raw poultry must be handled carefully to prevent cross contamination. This can occur if raw duck, goose or their juices contact cooked food or foods that will be eaten raw such as salad. Salmonellosis is a foodborne illness characterized by stomach pain, diarrhea and nausea. And they also list “duck” as one of the “raw or undercooked” foods that can carry salmonella. [http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/hret3-a3.html](http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/hret3-a3.html) So. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ducks-and-salmonella/333563/3 "2005-12-02T01:14:38Z")
> [@Duck Duck Goose](#): > > While noting that paraffin is indeed used to remove the pinfeathers, the Feds [still note that](http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Duck_&_Goose_from_Farm_to_Table/index.asp)… > > And they also list “duck” as one of the “raw or undercooked” foods that can carry salmonella. > [http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/hret3-a3.html](http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/hret3-a3.html) > > So. Well you would say that 🙂 Any info on the relitive danger level of various game birds?