Will your be bacteria free?

Will your



be bacteria free?

This Thanksgiving, more than 46 million turkeys will be prepared and consumed; along with a wide variety of festive side dishes and scrumptious desserts. Such an array and quantity of foods can be a recipe for food borne illness to strike. Here are suggestions for keeping your guests healthy and happy. When thawing your turkey, you need to allow 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds to properly defrost. Do not allow your turkey to defrost on the counter. When choosing a pre-stuffed frozen bird, follow the package instructions and cook from the frozen state. If cooking a fresh turkey, plan to purchase within 1-2 days of cooking. Never buy a pre-stuffed fresh bird, as improper handling will result in harmful bacteria quickly multiplying, resulting in illness. Contrary to popular belief, you should not wash your turkey (or other raw meats) prior to cooking as the juices will likely splash onto your sink, counter tops, other foods resulting in cross-contamination. Cooking your turkey to the recommended internal temperature of 165 F, will kill any bacteria. Using a food thermometer is the only way to assure you have reached this safe temperature. Never go by how golden brown the skin looks. Check your whole turkey in 3 locations, with all 3 have reaching the proper temperature: the innermost part of the thigh, the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the wing. Lastly, don’t forget to make plenty of room in your refrigerator in advance for any Thanksgiving leftovers. Place leftovers in a shallow pan or individual containers. Be sure to refrigerate leftovers within a maximum of 2 hours. Resist the temptation of leave leftovers on the counter for people to nibble, as this leads to bacteria multiplying very quickly. Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline…..If you have questions about your Thanksgiving dinner, at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) to talk to a food safety expert.