Why can we eat duck meat medium rare, treating it like red meat, but chicken, which is white meat, has to be fully cooked, even though both are types of birds?

Question

Why can we eat duck meat medium rare, treating it like red meat, but chicken, which is white meat, has to be fully cooked, even though both are types of birds?

In: Other

Answer 1

Duck meat is generally safe to eat at lower temperatures because duck farms have implemented strict biosecurity measures that reduce the prevalence of pathogens compared to chicken farms. However, it’s important to note that proper cooking practices should still be followed to ensure safety, like cooking duck to at least 165°F (74°C) to kill any potential bacteria.