During the holidays, one of the most often prepared recipes is turkey and stuffing. This tradition is delicious, but fraught with potential problems, especially for beginning cooks. Clemson University offers tips on how to prepare this type of recipe and how to serve safe turkey and stuffing. Most food safety experts recommend that you do not stuff your turkey. If the stuffing isn't completely cooked to 165°F it can contain live pathogenic bacteria, since the turkey acts as an insulator and it's difficult to heat the stuffing in the very center. This may disappoint people, since stuffing cooked inside the bird is moist and well flavored from the turkey itself. But you can replicate that taste and texture by simply drizzling turkey stock over the dressing in a casserole, and … [Read more...]
Unsafe Ways to Prepare Your Thanksgiving Turkey
Did you know that there are unsafe ways to prepare your Thanksgiving turkey? While we have covered prepping and cooking the turkey safely, including proper thawing and roasting to the correct temperature, there are other physical parts to the preparation to think about. First of all, the method you use for cooking your turkey is important. You can roast the turkey, grill it, or deep fry it. Roasting is the most common method, and it is the safest, both in terms of food safety and physical safety. Grilling is the next safest, as long as you keep an eye on the bird, understand the risks of grilling such as fire and burns, and use a food thermometer. Just never use a grill in a covered area, not even a breezeway or the garbage because you risk carbon monoxide poisoning. But deep … [Read more...]
Learn How to Safely Prepare a Turkey For Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is Thursday! Most people will be having turkey and stuffing. Read on to learn how to safely prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. While this task isn't difficult, there are some rules you should follow to avoid food poisoning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has tips. First, plan ahead. If you buy a frozen turkey it needs time to thaw - in the refrigerator. Never thaw a turkey on the counter or you are inviting trouble. Allow 24 hours of thawing for every four to five pounds of bird. If you have a big turkey, it may be too late at this point. In that case, you still have options. You can thaw the turkey in cold water, but you have to keep an eye on it. Make sure the turkey is in a leakproof bag before you put it in the sink. Add cold water … [Read more...]
Planning to Fry Your Holiday Turkey? Safety First
Are you planning to fry your holiday turkey? If you are, there are some things you need to know. There have been many accidents and injuries associated with this type of cooking over the years. Learn how to fry a turkey safely with these tips. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says that cooking fires are the number one cause of residential fires. And turkey fryers pose particular risks. Since 1998, there have been reports of 222 fire or scald/burn incidents involving turkey fryers. These incidents resulted in 83 injuries and $9.7 million in property loss. To protect yourself, only fry a turkey outside and well away from your home. Prince William County has more tips on turkey frying. While Thanksgiving is the peak day for home fires caused by cooking, Christmas and … [Read more...]
CDC Study Reveals Salmonella Serotypes Linked to Thanksgiving Foods
A new CDC study has revealed the Salmonella serotypes most commonly linked to Thanksgiving foods such as turkey. The study used routine surveillance for the years 1998 to 2018, and a case-crossover design. In 2017, there were about 45,000,000 turkeys produced for Thanksgiving. About 88% of consumers in the United States report that they eat turkey during the Thanksgiving meal. There are about 1 million cases of Salmonella reported in the United States every year. These illnesses cause 20,000 hospitalizations and 400 deaths annually. Since a small percentage of people infected with this pathogen actually seek medical help every year, the number is likely much higher. Salmonella Hadar and Saint Paul are the serotypes that are most commonly associated with turkey. The serotypes … [Read more...]
Prepare Your Holiday Turkey Safely with Tips From the CDC
It's almost Thanksgiving! Prepare your holiday turkey safely with tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since turkey can be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria, it must be handled carefully. First of all, store the turkey properly. It should be stored in the freezer until you are ready to thaw it. Do not store a turkey in a car trunk, in snow, or on the back porch. At this point it's too late to properly thaw a large frozen turkey in the fridge, but you can cook it from the frozen state. It takes 24 hours of thawing in the refrigerator for each four to five pounds of turkey. Never ever thaw a turkey or any meat on the counter. The meat will remain in the danger zone of 40°F to 140°F too long, and bacteria will multiply. At room temperature, bacterial … [Read more...]
Salmonella Hadar Turkey Outbreak Sickens 24 in 11 States
A Press Officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Candice Burns Hoffman, told Food Poisoning Bulletin that as of March 22, 2021, there are 24 people in 11 states sickened in the Salmonella Hadar turkey outbreak listed on the USDA's outbreak investigation table. We don't know the states where the ill persons live, the patient age range, or illness onset date, or if anyone has been hospitalized. But we do now know that patients reported eating a variety of turkey products before they got sick. The outbreak table simply states that turkey is suspected in this outbreak, and that the outbreak investigation is active. A specific brand of type of turkey products has not yet been identified. The CDC is collecting more data to try to determine the source of these … [Read more...]
Salmonella Hadar Outbreak May Be Linked to Turkey
The USDA is investigating a Salmonella Hadar outbreak that may be linked to turkey, according to its outbreak investigation table. There is no information about the number of people who have been sickened, illness onset dates, the patient age range, or if anyone has been hospitalized or has died. The government does not provide any more information about these outbreaks unless there is some action that can be taken by consumers, such as a recall, or if the USDA has issued a public health alert or after-action review report. Salmonella outbreaks linked to turkey have occurred in the past decade. Several serotypes have been represented in those outbreaks, including Salmonella Hadar. Those outbreaks include: In 2019 and in 2018, a very large and complicated Salmonella … [Read more...]
Follow Thanksgiving Food Safety Steps from the CDC For a Safe Holiday
The CDC is offering Thanksgiving food safety steps for you to follow as you prepare this holiday dinner to stay safe. This Thanksgiving will be different, with fewer large gatherings and more people staying home to protect themselves against Covid-19. So avoid food poisoning, which is a major risk during the pandemic, with these tips. First, keep it clean. Always wash your hands with soap and water before you start to cook and eat. Make sure that food preparing surfaces and utensils are clean and sanitized before you start to cook. Think about sanitizing the sink and countertops before you bring out the food. You can use a commercial product or make your own by mixing 1 tablespoon liquid chlorine bleach with one gallon of warm water. For meal prep, make sure that you keep raw … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak in Canada Linked to Raw Turkey and Chicken Ends
The Salmonella outbreak in Canada linked to raw turkey and chicken is over, according to a notice published on Public Health Canada. Even though the outbreak is over, officials say that "illnesses could be reported because this Salmonella strain is present in some raw turkey and raw chicken products in the Canadian marketplace." Officials recommend that consumers handle raw turkey and raw chicken carefully and cook it thoroughly to 165°F as measured by a food thermometer to avoid food related illnesses such as Salmonella. In total, there were 130 confirmed cases of Salmonella Reading in these provinces and territories: British Columbia (33), Alberta (44), Saskatchewan (8), Manitoba (25), Ontario (9), Quebec (2), New Brunswick (1), Prince Edward Island (1), Northwest Territories … [Read more...]
