Oliver has been assigned to write an argument about safe food-handling practices for his life skills class. He wants to learn whether it’s safer to cook chicken straight out of the package or to rinse it first. Which of the following resources should he use? Why?

A.
a post from a well-known food blogger; a lot of people trust her opinions about recipes and shortcuts in the kitchen
B.
a scientific study published in a consumer magazine; chicken was prepared in both ways and then tested for strains of bacteria
C.
a brief interview with his grandmother; she's the best cook Oliver knows, and nobody has ever gotten sick from her chicken parmesan
D.
the “Health and Safety” chapter from a cookbook published in 1982; popular recipes may come and go, but food safety standards never change

The resource Oliver should use is:

B.  a scientific study published in a consumer magazine; chicken was prepared in both ways and then tested for strains of bacteria.

Explanation:

Why?

Oliver wants to know what is safer. Therefore, he should focus on resources that have criteria and proper means for testing safety when it comes to food. Option B concerns a scientific study that is bound to follow rules and procedures. That is the best option.

In option A, the blogger may be a very good cook, but that does not necessarily mean she knows and does everything in the safest possible way. In option C we have a similar situation. Nobody has ever gotten sick from grandma's chicken, but that may be a matter of luck or coincidence. Option D says food safety standards never change, which is not true. A long time ago, for instance, people did not understand the importance of washing vegetables as we do today. All these options can be eliminated.

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