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Talking Turkey
The holidays are upon us and that means lots of family gatherings around the dinner table. But beware of unwanted guests that can turn your holiday celebration into a sour affair. The Coastal Health District encourages you to protect yourself and your family from foodborne illnesses this holiday season and all year long.
Preparing a holiday meal with all of the fixings often includes cooking a turkey. Properly preparing a turkey, or any kind poultry, is key to preventing foodborne illness outbreaks. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers the following advice on cooking turkeys.
Safe Thawing
Thawing turkeys must be kept at a safe temperature. The "danger zone" is between 40 and 140°F — the temperature range where foodborne bacteria multiply rapidly. While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely, but as soon as it begins to thaw, bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to grow again, if it is in the "danger zone."
For more information on properly thawing a turkey, go to the CDC’s web site
Safe Preparation
Bacteria present on raw poultry can contaminate your hands, utensils, and work surfaces as you prepare the turkey. If these areas are not cleaned thoroughly before working with other foods, bacteria from the raw poultry can then be transferred to other foods. After working with raw poultry, always wash your hands, utensils, and work surfaces before they touch other foods.
Safe Stuffing
For optimal safety and uniform doneness, cook the stuffing outside the turkey in a casserole dish. However, if you place stuffing inside the turkey, do so just before cooking, and use a food thermometer. Make sure the center of the stuffing reaches a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F. Bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached 165°F, possibly resulting in foodborne illness.
Safe Cooking
Set the oven temperature no lower than 325°F and be sure the turkey is completely thawed. Place turkey breast-side up on a flat wire rack in a shallow roasting pan 2 to 2-1/2 inches deep. Check the internal temperature at the center of the stuffing and meaty portion of the breast, thigh, and wing joint using a food thermometer. Cooking times will vary. The food thermometer must reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F. Let the turkey stand 20 minutes before removing all stuffing from the cavity and carving the meat.
It’s no fun getting a foodborne illness. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea and in certain populations such as children and older adults, the illness can be life threatening.
The United States Food and Drug Administration encourages practicing the following four basic food safety measures can help prevent foodborne illness:
Clean: The first rule of safe food preparation in the home is to keep everything clean.
* Wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food. "For children, this means the time it takes to sing 'Happy Birthday' twice," says Davidson.
* Wash food-contact surfaces (cutting boards, dishes, utensils, countertops) with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before going on to the next item.
* Rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water and use a produce brush to remove surface dirt.
* Do not rinse raw meat and poultry before cooking. Washing these foods makes it more likely for bacteria to spread to areas around the sink and countertops
Separate: Don't give bacteria the opportunity to spread from one food to another (cross-contaminate).
* Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood and their juices away from foods that won't be cooked while shopping in the store, and while preparing and storing at home.
* Consider using one cutting board only for foods that will be cooked (raw meat, poultry, and seafood) and another one only for ready-to-eat foods (such as raw fruits and vegetables).
* Do not put cooked meat on an unwashed plate that has held raw meat.
Cook: Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill harmful bacteria.
* Use a food thermometer to make sure meat, poultry, and fish are cooked to a safe internal temperature. To check a turkey for safety, insert a food thermometer into the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. The turkey is safe when the temperature reaches 165ºF. If the turkey is stuffed, the temperature of the stuffing should be 165ºF. Make sure oysters in oyster dressing are thoroughly cooked.
* Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a rolling boil when reheating.
* Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. When making your own eggnog or other recipe calling for raw eggs, use pasteurized shell eggs, liquid or frozen pasteurized egg products, or powdered egg whites.
* Don't eat uncooked cookie dough, which may contain raw eggs.
Chill: Refrigerate foods quickly because harmful bacteria grow rapidly at room temperature.
* Refrigerate leftovers and takeout foods within two hours.
* Set your refrigerator no higher than 40ºF and the freezer at 0ºF. Check both periodically with an appliance thermometer.
* Never defrost food at room temperature. Food can be defrosted safely in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.
* Allow the correct amount of time to properly thaw food. For example, a 20-pound turkey needs four to five days to thaw completely when thawed in the refrigerator.
* Don't taste food that looks or smells questionable. A good rule to follow is, when in doubt, throw it out.
The Coastal Health District wishes everyone a healthy holiday season.