If you’ve been following the news recently, you’ve probably heard a lot of things that make you reconsider what you’re cooking for dinner.
For example, the United States is currently dealing with a parasite outbreak. While some of this outbreak has been traced back to lettuce served at Taco Bell and other stores, there are concerns that other products, such as parsley and cilantro, may also be affected by the parasite.
As a result, people are taking steps to monitor and clean their food. This process, however, can reveal some disturbing things about what we’re consuming.
What’s Wrong With This Woman’s Chicken?
In a video with over 655,000 views, TikTok user @theallseeingeye1 shows herself washing chicken in a sink. After a few seconds, she reaches under the skin of a chicken thigh and pulls out a thin, white strand that resembles cooked spaghetti.
“Is this normal,” she asks in the video’s overlay text. “Please be careful. Looks like tape.”
In the caption, she adds that she believes there were “tapeworms” in her chicken.
Are There Really Worms In This Chicken?
Probably not.
Chickens do sometimes get worms. That said, they are primarily intestinal—meaning the chance that they’d make it into the meat of the animal is pretty slim. Given this, there are a few possible explanations as to what’s happening in this video.
The first is that the woman is simply removing a vein or tendon. While they may be gross to some, veins and tendons are very common in raw chicken. When cooked to a proper temperature, they’re perfectly safe to eat—though tendons can be a bit chewy.
As these pieces are fairly thick, it’s possible that they were tendons. That said, the ease with which they were removed makes the tendon theory less likely.
This increases the likelihood of the second option: the whole thing is staged.
The TikToker claims in a comment that she was planning to record a video on how to clean chicken, which would be unlike any other video on her page (other videos include one about how World War III is happening and a warning about an upcoming “three days of darkness”).
It’s possible that the TikToker simply planted cooked spaghetti or something similar into the chicken meat, only to later fish it out and post the video for content.
Regardless, if one finds something like this in their meat, it’s more than likely a vein or tendon. After cooking, it’s safe to eat.
Should You Wash Chicken In The Sink?
Absolutely not.
Simply put, there’s just no reason to wash chicken. To start, the chicken you buy in the store has already been washed in a professional, sanitary environment. If you’re concerned about something you see on the surface of raw chicken, you can simply wipe it off with a clean paper towel, then wash your hands.
Some claim that washing chicken is a good way to get rid of unwanted germs or pathogens. It’s actually the exact opposite.
Washing chicken does not completely remove problems like Salmonella and Campylobacter. In fact, if your chicken does contain these bacteria, washing it will often make it spread to other parts of your kitchen. This can make you more likely to contract these bacteria, not less.
Instead, if one wants to reduce the risks associated with eating chicken, the best way to do so is ensuring it’s cooked to the correct temperature.
Commenters Are Disgusted
In the comments section, users expressed their displeasure at what was shown in the video.
“That’s why I get my chicken from the Halal place,” a user declared.
“Tapeworm or not, that’s the reason why I rarely cook meat and chicken. And if I do, it has to be thin cut so I can check it well,” offered another.
Others chided the TikToker for choosing to wash their chicken at all.
“Why does someone put raw meat in a kitchen sink, even if it looks clean it isnt!!! Nasty,” stated a commenter.
“Washing your chicken in the sink is worse than tapeworms,” added a second.
@theallseeingeye1 tape worms 🪱 in chicken 🐔
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BroBible reached out to @theallseeingeye1 via TikTok direct message and comment.