Source(s):
Gary Rodrick gerodrick@mail.ifas.ufl.edu, (352) 392-1991, ext. 310
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Plenty of people would agree that Thanksgiving is a prime time to gobble down delicious turkey. But a University of Florida food-safety expert warns that careless cooking techniques can leave diners feeling less than thankful.
Because many people buy frozen turkeys for Thanksgiving, a focus on safety should begin with the thawing process, said Gary Rodrick, a food science and human nutrition professor at UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
“What people usually do is leave the turkey out on a counter, and the surface thaws but the inside remains frozen,” he said. “The surface gets between 40 and 140 degrees and becomes a danger zone, where the turkey is at an optimal temperature for a lot of bacteria to grow. And you don’t want that.”
Bacteria like salmonella and campylobacter can rapidly spread on raw poultry. Because these organisms cause severe intestinal distress, people should not expose raw turkey to fruits, vegetables or cooked foods, Rodrick said.
“To avoid cross-contamination, people should carefully thaw turkeys by using cold water, the microwave or the refrigerator,” he said. “Touching the thawing turkey and making contact with ready-to-eat vegetables or fruit without washing your hands is another big problem.”
When cooking, Rodrick suggests following United States Department of Agriculture guidelines to ensure all parts of the turkey reach 165 degrees.
“Cooking the stuffing is very important,” he said. “I absolutely recommend using a meat thermometer to make certain the innermost part of the turkey gets thoroughly cooked.”
Rodrick also said proper handling of leftover food is important.
“You want to refrigerate leftovers within two hours of eating, and you want to slice meat thinly and avoid big bowls so heat transfers out faster,” he said. “Don’t leave food out too long, no matter how drowsy a Thanksgiving feast makes you feel.”
Rodrick warns to not be tempted by room-temperature leftovers.
“You’ll want to properly heat leftover food when you eat it – a lot of people like cold leftovers, but as far as safety goes, the hotter the better,” he said. “In general, if you break the steps down: proper defrosting, keeping it hot and then cooling down and storing leftovers quickly, you’ll pretty much have things covered.”
Roberta Hammond, food and waterborne disease coordinator for the Florida Department of Health, said following Rodrick’s advice can help ensure the Thanksgiving holiday is a pleasant one.
“People need to understand about defrosting, cross-contamination and leaving their food out too long,” she said. “Thanksgiving is a time where there is the opportunity for a lot of abuse of food, but people should follow these guidelines throughout the year.”
Hammond recommends people with specific questions contact food-safety specialists on the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at (800) 535-4555. The hotline features recorded food-safety messages 24 hours a day and has specialists available weekdays except most federal holidays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Specialists will be available Thanksgiving from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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