Washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. This is called cross-contamination.

Hand washing after handling raw meat or poultry or its packaging is necessary because anything you touch afterwards could become contaminated. Always practice good hand washing before and after handling raw foods as well as when using the bathroom, changing diapers, tending to a sick person, blowing your nose, sneezing and coughing, touching your hair and after petting animals.

It is important to prevent cross-contamination from raw meat or poultry juices by washing counter tops and sinks with hot, soapy water. If desired, you may sanitize with a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water.

Additional Resources:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Be_Smart_Keep_Foods_Apart/index.asp