USDA Talks Thanksgiving Food Safety

food2-18
food2-18

As family cooks everywhere are getting ready to prepare their Thanksgiving meals this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is reminding them of how to safely cook that bird. USDA technical information specialist Chrystal Okonta tells WSJM News you need to give a 20 pound turkey several days to thaw. If you haven’t got time to just leave it in the fridge, there are thawing techniques.

“Don’t just leave your turkey on the counter or run hot water over it,” Okanta said. “There are two quick, safe methods that you can do. Either defrost it in the microwave following the manufacturer’s instructions, or use the cold water method. You put it in a bowl of cold water and you rotate that water every 30 minutes.”

A common question Okanta gets is whether it’s a good idea to wash the turkey.

“We do not recommend washing turkey, mostly because cooking is the only safe way to make sure you’re killing off any bacteria that can cause food-borne illness, and washing turkey instead could potentially spread some of that bacteria.”

Okanta says it’s important to cook the turkey to 265 degrees and not to rely on a pop-up thermometer. After the meal is finished, Okanta says the two hour rule should be observed with the food that’s put out. Don’t leave it out for longer than that amount of time. She says you can get all the information you need at FoodSafety.gov. The USDA’s food safety hotline will also be open Thanksgiving from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1-888-MPHotline.