Don’t get sick on Thanksgiving: How to avoid foodborne illness

(WWTI) – For most families, Thanksgiving meals are the largest cooked all year, which can be a contributor to mistakes that could cause foodborne illness.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the New York State Department of Health recently offered some tips to prevent sickness by remembering five food safety tenets.

Tip 1: Don’t wash the turkey

According to a survey by the FDA, 68% of people believe the turkey should be washed before cooking it — but this is not recommended. 

Washing the turkey can cause bacteria spread up to three feet away because water splashes onto clean counters, cutting boards, sink handles, etc. It’s recommended to cook turkeys until inner temperature is at least 165°F, by either baking, broiling, boiling, frying or grilling. This high temperature is needed to kill any bacteria that may be present.

Tip 2: Use the refrigerator, the cold-water method, or the microwave to defrost a frozen turkey

There are three safe ways to defrost a turkey:

• In the refrigerator
• In cold water
• In the microwave oven

The safest method is in the refrigerator because the turkey will defrost at a consistent, safe temperature. It takes 24 hours for every five pounds of weight for a turkey to thaw in the refrigerator.

To thaw in cold water, submerge the frozen turkey in its original wrapper in cold tap water, changing the water every 30 minutes.

For instructions on microwave defrosting, refer to the microwave’s owner’s manual. Cold water and microwave thawing can also be used if the turkey does not entirely defrost in the refrigerator.  

Tip 3: Use a meat thermometer

The only way to determine if a turkey is cooked to the proper temperature is to check its internal temperature with a food thermometer.

A whole turkey should be checked in three locations:

• The innermost part of the thigh
• The innermost part of the wing
• The thickest part of the breast

The thermometer should register at least 165°F in all three of these places.

Tip 4: Don’t store food outside, even if it’s cold

Storing food outside is not food-safe, for several reasons.

Animals can get into food stored outside — consuming it or contaminating it. Alternatively, a plastic food storage container left in the sun can heat up and climb into the “danger zone,” above 40°F, allowing bacteria to grow. The best way to keep extra food at a safe temperature (below 40°F) is in a refrigerator or in a cooler with ice.  

Tip 5: Turkey leftovers are good in the refrigerator for up to four days

Cut the turkey off the bone and refrigerate it within two hours of the turkey coming out of the oven. Turkey leftovers can last for four days in the refrigerator. If the leftovers won’t be used right away, they should be packed into freezer bags or airtight containers and frozen. For best quality, use leftover turkey within four months.

Making food safety part of the Thanksgiving meal tradition ensures safety from food-borne illness. Additional food safety tips are available by contacting the Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Safety Division to request to speak to a food safety expert or read the New York State Department of Health’s guidelines.