Food Safety of "Scavenged" Chicken Stock

Food Safety of "Scavenged" Chicken Stock - A Couple Buying Vegetable Inside A Grocery Store

I happened upon an article entitled "Please Pass the Scavenged Bone Stock" and discovered that there are many different opinions out there about the propriety of saving chicken bones for stock. The article reads like a polemic, but I'd like clearer answers to the following questions:

  • Is it safe to use leftover untouched chicken bones/carcasses for stock? How long can they have been sitting out, and what if I want to freeze them for later use?

  • Is it safe to salvage bones for stock if people have been eating off the bone? Is this a common practice, or is it considered "disgusting"?

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Best Answer

I use frozen trimmings and bones for stock on a regular basis and haven't ever had any issues (and I can't see why you would). However, parts from food eaten by someone may have contamination issues unless they only removed the bones and/or skin with clean hands (which you could have done yourself before serving them).

I don't follow many rules for my "stock" either. I figure I can get vegetable flavor from vegetable stock, so I keep my meat stocks just to the meat trimmings and bones as much as possible (I do regularly and unavoidably end up with herbs and spices from rubs and marinades), let them simmer in a crockpot for days, and then reduce them. They are not clear like traditional stock, but I rarely need a clear stock--mostly I just want to extract all the good flavor for sauces, soups, and stews, and that is very successful with this method.



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Can chicken stock give you food poisoning?

Even though chicken broth is a liquid, it is still made from chicken which increases your chances of food poisoning from bacteria such as E Coli and salmonella. If your chicken broth shows any signs of spoilage, it is advised that you get rid of it immediately to avoid contamination.

Is chicken stock safe to eat?

When cooked, chicken broth helps sooth the body with heat, hydration, and nutrients. Chicken broth is rich with vitamins and minerals, which are useful against common ailments like the common cold, the flu, and food poisoning. The broth also provides several other notable health benefits, such as: Weight management.

Can salmonella be killed by cooking?

Thorough cooking can kill salmonella. But when health officials warn people not to eat potentially contaminated food, or when a food is recalled because of salmonella risk, that means don't eat that food, cooked or not, rinsed or not.

How can you tell if food is safe to eat?

Cook to the right temperature.
  • Food is safely cooked when the internal temperature gets high enough to kill germs that can make you sick. The only way to tell if food is safely cooked is to use a food thermometer. ...
  • Use a food thermometer to ensure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature.



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