Salmonella Found in 46% of Chicken Samples in Metro Manila: DOST Study

(SPOT.ph) How safe is the chicken we're buying from markets and supermarkets? A study by the Department of Science and Technology's Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) found that nearly half of the chicken samples collected from retailers in Metro Manila contained Salmonella, a type of bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

Of the 148 chicken meat samples examined, 46% of them tested positive for Salmonella. Researchers also found that most of the bacteria recovered were resistant to antibiotics, which could make certain infections more difficult to treat.

The findings were first published in the Philippine Journal of Science in June 2026.

To be clear, the 46% figure doesn't apply to all chicken sold in Metro Manila, only to the samples included in the study. The researchers also looked at contamination rather than actual cases of food poisoning, so it's unclear whether anyone became sick from the chicken they tested.

Also read: GUIDE: What to Do If You Get Food Poisoning

The researchers examined 76 Salmonella isolates recovered from chicken meat sold in wet markets and supermarkets across Metro Manila. Of these, 94.7% were resistant to at least one class of antibiotics, while 76.3% were resistant to three or more classes, making them multidrug-resistant.

The highest resistance rates were recorded against ampicillin (77.6%), streptomycin (73.7%), nalidixic acid (68.4%), and cefotaxime (67.1%), according to DOST-FNRI.

Salmonella is commonly associated with foodborne illness. According to the World Health Organization, an infection can cause diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea, and sometimes vomiting. Symptoms typically appear within six to 72 hours after exposure.

DOST-FNRI reported that Salmonella infections in the Philippines increased by 42% to around 13,000 cases in 2023.

Most people recover without antibiotics, but severe cases can be dangerous, particularly for young children and older adults. Antibiotic resistance becomes an issue when an infection requires treatment, as certain medicines may no longer be effective against the bacteria.

Still, finding Salmonella in raw chicken doesn't automatically mean you'll get sick from eating it. What matters is how the chicken is handled and cooked before it reaches your plate.

The good news is that antibiotic-resistant Salmonella can still be killed through proper cooking. Resistance to antibiotics doesn't mean resistance to heat.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), food should reach an internal temperature of at least 70°C. For chicken, make sure the thickest part is thoroughly cooked, ideally using a food thermometer rather than relying on appearance alone.

But proper cooking is only part of the equation.

“Proper cooking can effectively inactivate Salmonella spp. However, bacteria from raw chicken can still spread to hands, utensils, chopping boards, kitchen surfaces, and other foods through cross-contamination,” DOST-FNRI said, as reported by GMA News.

To prevent this, DOST-FNRI recommends washing your hands after handling raw chicken, using separate chopping boards for raw and cooked food, and cleaning kitchen surfaces after preparation. Raw chicken should also be stored in clean containers.

So there's no need to avoid chicken altogether. As DOST-FNRI emphasized, it can still be part of a healthy diet as long as it's prepared safely: “Good nutrition starts with what we choose, but it is completed by making sure what we serve is safe.”

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