Happy Thanksgiving can turn into a not-so-happy holiday if the turkey is thoroughly cooked warns the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
It issued the reminder to home chefs cooking turkeys during this holiday weekend or in the upcoming holiday season about the danger of salmonella. The press release said there have been 26 cases in British Columbia of the illness linked to eating raw poultry since 2016.
“Not properly cooking poultry increases the risk of illness for those who handle or eat it,” said Marsha Taylor, a BCCDC epidemiologist in a press release. “Salmonellosis is serious and it can ruin any Thanksgiving dinner, so remember to fully cook your turkey dinner and use a meat thermometer to ensure it is safe to eat.”
The release said turkey should be cooked to an internal temperature of 74 Celsius or hotter to eradicate any salmonella bacteria.
Centre food safety specialist Lorraine McIntryre warned raw juices “from poultry can easily spread to surfaces from the sink if the meat is rinsed.”
She advised instead of rinsing, cooks should pat the turkey dry with paper towels and discard the towels in the compost to prevent cross contamination.
The centre also issued some facts and advice:
• Salmonellosis causes symptoms including diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps that develop 12 to 72 hours after infection and usually lasts four to seven days.
• Salmonella are a common cause of diarrhea in B.C. and around the world. Children four years old and younger have the highest infection rates in B.C.
• Wash hands and cooking surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after preparing food. It is especially important to wash down surfaces after preparing raw meat.
• Keep raw meat separated from other foods and stored in the bottom of your refrigerator until it’s time to use. Ensure raw turkey and chicken juices don’t drip down onto other foods. Thaw frozen poultry products in the fridge or in cold water prior to cooking.
• Never rinse raw poultry before cooking because it can spread bacteria wherever the water splashes.
• When brining turkey ensure the brine is cold before immersing the turkey and keep the brine and the turkey in the refrigerator until it’s time to cook.
• To check, insert the probe tip thermometer into the meatiest part of the bird, either a couple of inches into the breast or the inner thigh, near the breast.
• Cook stuffing separately in a casserole dish. If inside the turkey, stuff the bird just before cooking and use a food thermometer to make sure the stuffing’s centre also reaches 74 Celsius or hotter.
• After the meal is over, put leftovers into the refrigerator within two hours. Foods should not be left out longer than four hours, otherwise spore forming bacteria may regrow and release toxins into the food. Eat leftovers within two to three days or freeze them for later use.
• Chefs who don’t feel well, especially if they have diarrhea or are vomiting, should not cook or prepare food for others.
More information is available at bccdc.ca.
