Costco shopper says he got sick twice after a major shift in chicken packaging

Photo by@thejacked.gentleman/TikTok ZikG/ShutterStock The Image Party/ShutterStock

‘I think it develops bacteria'. Food safety is a major component of any retail store offering ready-to-eat and hot foods.

What occurs when the way we store things could unintentionally harm our customers?

A customer at Costco reports falling ill several times following consumption of the store's bulk warehouse chicken.

In a TikTok video that has attracted more than 583,000 views, a nutrition expert named @thejacked.gentleman mentions falling ill twice after eating the packaged rotisserie chicken from Costco.

He says he believes the chicken sitting in the plastic bag allows the bird to develop bacteria that is passed on to him when eating it.

“I’ve gotten sick twice after the switched to chicken in a bag,” he says in the video. “I don’t think it’s a problem the first day. By the time you get it home, you let it cool on the counter before you put it into the fridge, I think it develops bacteria.”

He continues, “The old containers used to let the chicken sit above the juices, not just sit in the hot, plastic, chemically bacteria-laden juices. I’m not getting it anymore.”

Did Costco change its chicken packaging?

Yes. Not long ago, Costco switched to employing thinner plastic bags instead of thicker plastic clamshells for its rotisserie chicken, aiming to cut down on the amount of plastic used and discarded. At first, there were complaints from customers about the bags leaking and worries about keeping the chicken fresh in their freezers.

About the concerns

The poster’s summation that allowing the chicken to stew in its own juices might not be too far off. With leaks reported by customers, Consumer Reports dove in to determine if the bags are safe. Per Consumer Reports, experts say that the leaking chicken fluid on its own could become a breeding ground for bacteria if it leaks onto a surface like a kitchen counter.

Additionally, there are worries that the plastic bags used for packaging might allow chemicals to seep into the chicken. Any form of heating for a long time can lead to certain plastic additives seeping into the food, as well as cause the plastic to break down.

Viewers weigh in

Some who saw the video were quick to point out that there are many opportunities for bacteria to grow in any hot-prepared food when it is stored improperly.

“Cooling on the counter is allowing bacteria to flourish,” one commenter wrote. “Straight into the fridge or an ice bath to cool quickly.”

“In Australia… we have had chicken in a bag since I was a kid and I’m middle aged,” another added. “Also, you’re supposed to cool quickly… like straight in the fridge. You are letting it grow bacteria.”

“You don’t cool on the counter take it out of the bag and put in the fridge immediately,” another said.

Others shared that they had similarly felt ill after eating Costco rotisserie.

“No it’s the chicken I got sick the first time I tried it,” one commenter wrote. “Never had it again.”

“Wait I got sick after eating the last Costco chicken I got so I haven’t bought one since,” one user echoed. “I didn’t think of it maybe being bc of the bag.”

“HONESTLY iv been wondering y iv gotten sick the past 2 times aswell i thought it was just a coincidence & after watching this im convinced more,” a commenter wrote.