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[Wanda Sloan]

USDA Provides Tips and Resources for a Bacteria-Free Thanksgiving


WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2017 — More than 45 million turkeys are eaten on
Thanksgiving Day, with a never-ending list of side dishes and desserts. The
Thanksgiving meal is by far the largest and most stressful meal many
consumers prepare all year, leaving room for mistakes that can make guests
sick. But never fear, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety
and Inspection Service (FSIS) is available with tips and resources to make
this Thanksgiving safe and stress-free.

“Turkey and other meat and poultry may contain Salmonella and Campylobacter
that can lead to serious foodborne illness,” said acting FSIS Administrator
Paul Kiecker. “By properly handling and cooking your turkey, you can avoid
these harmful pathogens and ensure your family has a safe and healthy
Thanksgiving feast.”

Begin by following these five steps:

Wash your hands, but not your turkey

Washing your hands before cooking is the simplest way to stop the spread of
bacteria, while washing your turkey is the easiest way to spread bacteria
all over your kitchen. According to the 2016 Food and Drug Administration
Food Safety Survey, 68 percent of consumers wash poultry in the kitchen
sink, which is not recommended by the USDA. Research shows that washing meat
or poultry can splash bacteria around your kitchen by up to 3 feet,
contaminating countertops, towels and other food. Washing doesn’t remove
bacteria from the bird. Only cooking the turkey to the correct internal
temperature will ensure all bacteria are killed.

The exception to this rule is brining. When rinsing brine off of a turkey,
be sure to remove all other food or objects from the sink, layer the area
with paper towels and use a slow stream of water to avoid splashing.

To stuff or not to stuff

For optimal food safety, do not stuff the turkey. Even if the turkey is
cooked to the correct internal temperature, the stuffing inside may not have
reached a temperature high enough to kill the bacteria. It is best to cook
the stuffing in a separate dish.

Take the temperature of the bird

Although there are various ways to cook a turkey, the only way to avoid
foodborne illness is to make sure it is cooked to the correct internal
temperature as measured by a food thermometer. Take the bird’s temperature
in three areas — the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the
wing and the innermost part of the thigh — make sure all three locations
reach 165ºF. If one of those locations does not register at 165ºF, then
continue cooking until all three locations reach the correct internal
temperature.

Follow the two-hour rule

Perishable foods should not be left on the table or countertops for longer
than two hours. After two hours, food falls into the Danger Zone,
temperatures between 40-140ºF, where bacteria can rapidly multiply. If that
food is then eaten, your guests could get sick. Cut turkey into smaller
slices and refrigerate along with other perishable items, such as potatoes,
gravy and vegetables. Leftovers should stay safe in the refrigerator for
four days.

When in doubt call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline

If you have questions about your Thanksgiving dinner, call the USDA Meat and
Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) to talk to a food safety
expert. You can also chat live at AskKaren.gov
<http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP
TIwMTcxMTIxLjgxMjUxNjkxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE3MTEyMS44MTI1MTY5M
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XRlSWQ9JiYm&&&101&&&https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/informational/askka
ren> , available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, in
English and Spanish.

If you need help on Thanksgiving Day, the Meat and Poultry Hotline is
available from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET.

Consumers with food safety questions can visit FoodSafety.gov
<http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP
TIwMTcxMTIxLjgxMjUxNjkxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE3MTEyMS44MTI1MTY5M
SZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3OTE1MjAyJmVtYWlsaWQ9bWlsZHJlZC5odW50ZXJAa
GhzLmdvdiZ1c2VyaWQ9bWlsZHJlZC5odW50ZXJAaGhzLmdvdiZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpY
XRlSWQ9JiYm&&&102&&&https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/types/turkey/>  to learn
more about how to safely select, thaw and prepare a turkey. For more
Thanksgiving food safety tips, follow FSIS on Twitter, @USDAFoodSafety
<http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP
TIwMTcxMTIxLjgxMjUxNjkxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE3MTEyMS44MTI1MTY5M
SZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3OTE1MjAyJmVtYWlsaWQ9bWlsZHJlZC5odW50ZXJAa
GhzLmdvdiZ1c2VyaWQ9bWlsZHJlZC5odW50ZXJAaGhzLmdvdiZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpY
XRlSWQ9JiYm&&&103&&&https://twitter.com/USDAFoodSafety> , or on Facebook, at
Facebook.com/FoodSafety.gov
<http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP
TIwMTcxMTIxLjgxMjUxNjkxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE3MTEyMS44MTI1MTY5M
SZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3OTE1MjAyJmVtYWlsaWQ9bWlsZHJlZC5odW50ZXJAa
GhzLmdvdiZ1c2VyaWQ9bWlsZHJlZC5odW50ZXJAaGhzLmdvdiZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpY
XRlSWQ9JiYm&&&104&&&https://www.facebook.com/FoodSafety.gov> .

 
<http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTcxMTIx
LjgxMjUxNjkxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE3MTEyMS44MTI1MTY5MSZkYXRhYmFz
ZWlkPTEwMDEmdHlwZT1vcGVuJnNlcmlhbD0xNzkxNTIwMiZlbWFpbGlkPW1pbGRyZWQuaHVudGVy
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aWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==> 

 

From: Bruce Barcelo