Looking for a way to speed up dinner prep?

Now you can skip a step in that chicken recipe, according to the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency.

The organization says rinsing raw chicken can actually spread dangerous bacteria living on the poultry. Droplets of water splashing off the raw meat can land on nearby surfaces, other food or a person, transporting germs such as Campylobacter (campy-low-BACK-ter) bacteria.

In many cases, the flying drops go unnoticed, and people later use or touch contaminated objects, or eat tainted food. That’s a recipe for foodborne illness.

The effects of infection with Campylobacter bacteria vary widely. Some people won’t experience any symptoms, although most have cramps, abdominal pain, diarrhea and fever within a few days of contracting the disease, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The bacteria can cause more serious problems, too. If it gets into the bloodstream, as can happen in people with weakened immune systems, the bacteria may kill. Campylobacter also can result in a serious disease called Guillian-Barré syndrome. This illness affects the nervous system, causing temporary paralysis and occasionally, death.

Clearly, preventing cross-contamination from raw meat is no joking matter. It’s essential to always cook chicken fully and to thoroughly wash hands, dishes, cutting boards and utensils that touch raw poultry. Be sure to use soap and hot water.

Other important food safety steps include keeping chicken chilled until you are ready to cook it and refrigerating leftovers.

These steps will help you and your family avoid Campylobacter infection, which is most commonly caused by tainted poultry, according to the European Food Safety Authority.

Don’t forget this tip when you cook, and resist the urge to rinse that chicken.