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Temperature key to keeping Thanksgiving feast safe By
Laurie Kellman WASHINGTON — Getting family together for a Thanksgiving feast can be stressful enough without worrying whether the meal will make anyone sick. That’s why the government and consumer groups are talking turkey about how cooks can serve a safe meal. People buying a bird at the grocery store should check out the “sell by,” “Best if used by” or “Use by” dates stamped on the packaging to confirm freshness. Then, double-bag the bird in plastic for its trip home and quickly get it into the refrigerator or freezer. Those steps can reduce the risk of food-borne illness, such as salmonella, from developing on the turkey and rubbing off on other food, hands or kitchen utensils before it is cooked. Infections occur when a person ingests live salmonella bacteria, which survive digestion and cause symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. “If we can reduce the level coming into the kitchen, then we can reduce the risk of contamination,” said Caroline Smith DeWaal, director of food safety for the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Thorough cooking destroys salmonella bacteria and other food-borne illnesses. Even before a turkey arrives in a retail store, the government has tried to give consumers a head start on safety. All turkeys found in these stores are either inspected by the Agriculture Department or by states with the same standards. Each turkey and its internal organs are inspected for evidence of disease, according to the department. A Grade A stamp means the turkey is the highest quality. It’s the only grade consumers are likely to see in retail stores. Government testing has led many in the turkey industry to process birds more carefully and to get their salmonella infection rate below 2 percent, according to a federal test two years ago, the most recent of its kind, DeWaal said. The rest of the trip to a safe turkey dinner includes good defrosting, refrigeration, handling and cooking procedures. Some include: • Storage and handling. The grocery should be the last stop before heading home, the government advises. Once home, immediately put the turkey into a refrigerator that maintains 40 degrees, or a freezer that stays at zero. In a such a refrigerator, whole raw turkey can stay fresh for up to two days or 12 months in a freezer. • Defrosting. The government recommends three options: in the refrigerator, in cold water and in the microwave. For refrigerating, allow one day for every five pounds of turkey to thaw. That means for Thanksgiving, a 20-pound turkey needs to start defrosting on Sunday. In water, submerge turkey in its airtight packaging, changing the water every half-hour. Turkey defrosted in a microwave should immediately be cooked. • Handling. Make sure counters are clear. Keep turkey and juices separate from all other foods. Pay attention to everything that has touched the raw or partially cooked turkey, and later scrub them with warm soapy water. These include hands, thermometers or other implements. • Cooking. Use a meat thermometer, even if the turkey has a pop-up thermometer. Set the oven no lower than 325 F. Cook until the thick part of the thigh reads 180 degrees, the breast reads 170, and the center of the stuffing inside the bird reads 165, according to Smith DeWaal’s group. • Serving. Do not leave turkey out for more than two hours. |
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