Food safety awareness: Tips for a healthy Turkey Day
Posted by Richard Frazee on Sat, Nov 21, 2009 @ 05:23 PM
Preparing Thanksgiving dinner should be a fun and festive
way to begin the holiday season. Are you this year’s chef? Sure, you want your
holiday to be happy and warm—but try to keep your cool. Don’t let all the
excitement push you to cut corners that might promote food hazards.
Improper cooking, serving, and storage of food can promote
growth of harmful bacteria that can cause food-borne illnesses. Chefs, the following tips will help raise your safety awareness of food-borne health hazards that are a particular danger on Turkey Day.
How to safely defrost a turkey
First, never
defrost a turkey on the counter. Why not? Because room
temperatures promote active bacteria growth. Frozen turkey can be thawed
three ways: in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave oven.
Refrigerator thawing is the best way to avoid bacteria growth and will likely
taste better.
Refrigerator. A
whole turkey takes about 24 hours per four or five pounds to thaw in the
refrigerator. Thus, a 16-pound turkey would take three to four days to thaw.
Keep the frozen turkey in its original wrapper. Juices that leak as the bird
thaws can cross-contaminate other foods, so put the turkey on a tray to catch
all juices. A thawed turkey can stay in the fridge (at a temperature of 40
degrees F or below) for one to two days before cooking. A turkey that has been
properly refrigerator-thawed can be refrozen.
Cold water. Submerge
a turkey that is securely wrapped (no tears or holes) in cold water. Change the
water every 30 minutes to keep it cold and bacteria-free. Allow about 30
minutes defrosting time per pound of turkey. Cook immediately after thawing. Do
not refreeze a cold-water-thawed bird.
Microwave. This
method works only for small, unstuffed turkeys or turkey parts. Consult the
owner’s manual for the turkey size that will fit in the oven, the cooking time
per pound, and the proper power level. Remove all wrapping—packaging materials
might contain chemicals that could be transferred to the food. Put the turkey
on a microvave-safe dish to catch juices. Turkeys thawed in the microwave
cannot be refrigerated or refrozen. They must be cooked immediately after
thawing.
Keeping clean
Before
and after handling the turkey, wash your hands with warm water and soap. The
U.S. Department of Agriculture
recommends that you sanitize countertops and cutting boards with a solution of
one tablespoon of unscented chlorine bleach per gallon of water.
Stuff it!
After
thawing, remove the neck and giblets from turkey cavities, and store them in
the refrigerator (if you’re using them). For optimal food safety, the USDA
recommends you not stuff a turkey, but instead cook the stuffing separately in
a casserole dish. Use a food thermometer to make sure the stuffing reaches an
internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F. If you choose to stuff the turkey,
prepare stuffing right before the turkey is put into the oven. Stuff the turkey
loosely. (Use about ¾ cup of stuffing per pound of turkey.) After stuffing, put
the turkey in the oven immediately.
Take the temperature
“The
most critical food safety practice when preparing a whole turkey is using a
food thermometer,” says USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Jerold
Mande. “The minimum internal temperature must reach 165 degrees F for safety.”
Turkey meat, even if it’s pink, is safe to eat when it reaches at least 165
degrees F. Using a food thermometer, check the internal temperature of the
thigh, wing, breast, and the stuffing. For detailed information on measuring
turkey temperature, go to
eatturkey.com.
After
removing the bird from the oven, let it stand for 20 minutes so the juices will
set, making carving easier. Remove all stuffing from the cavity.
What to do with leftovers
- When
dinner is over, carve the remaining turkey from the carcass. Cut the meat into
small pieces.
- Do
not leave turkey, stuffing, or other food out for more than two hours.
- Refrigerate
stuffing and turkey separately. Use shallow, covered containers two inches deep
or less so food will cool rapidly and evenly. Arrange items for free
circulation of cold air; do not crowd the refrigerator.
- Use
an appliance thermometer to make sure that your refrigerator is 40 degrees F or
below.
- Instead
of refrigerating all leftovers, you can freeze cooked turkey and stuffing for
three to four months.
- Eat
refrigerated leftovers within three to four days.
- When
reheating leftovers, bring the foods to 165 degrees F, or until hot and
steaming. Bring gravy to a boil.
For more information
- U.S. Food
and Drug Administration: 1-888-SAFEFOOD: For questions about safe handling foods for holiday meals,
including eggs, dairy, fresh produce, and seafood.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-MPHOTLINE (1-888-674-6854). M-F, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
EST. Open Thanksgiving Day, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. EST. E-mail questions to the hotline at mphotline.fsis@usda.gov.
Or ask a food safety question at AskKaren.gov.
photo credit:
fiat luxe