It’s turkey time again.  There have been many food poisonings related to improper handling of turkeys.  Even my mother-in-law used to thaw turkey on the counter overnight!  Another lady who complained when I worked at the health unit had cooked the turkey, turned the oven off, and forgotten to remove the turkey overnight.  The turkey was in the oven until the morning when she realized what she had done.  My advice to her was to throw it out as the turkey had stayed in the Danger Zone for too long.

Turkey preparation is accomplished in so many different ways.  Handwashing is an important and necessary step which removes contaminants from your hands and any turkey blood or residue that stays on your hands during preparation.  Don’t think you can just wipe your hands on a towel and continue with the meal.  It’s important to use clean dish cloths which are not contaminated with blood.  Also, liquid soap, hot or warm water and scubbing hands for 30 to 45 seconds is your best defense against making your guests ill.

Defrosting is always time-consuming, but it should be done properly to reduce any risk of diseases such as Salmonellosis caused by Salmonella bacteria commonly found on the turkey.  Either defrost in the refrigerator, in a sink filled with cold water or under cold running water or use the microwave.  My turkey couldn’t possibly fit into the microwave so I use both the refrigerator and sink with the cold water.

The oven temperature is important as well.  The turkey should be cooked internally to 74C or 165F.  Use a meat thermometer to check.  Before putting the turkey in the oven, ensure that stuffing is placed immediately into the bird before cooking.  Otherwise, stuffing acts like a sponge and absorbs blood which can grow bacteria when the bird is not thoroughly cooked to the center.  One of my earliest food poisoning investigations involved a hockey club in rural Alberta.  The club were cooking a Christmas dinner at the arena and decided to leave the turkeys on the ice rink overnight to defrost.  The resulting outbreak affected 37 people including team members and their parents who became ill with Salmonellosis.  An ice rink does not guarantee the proper temperature for defrosting turkeys.

Enjoy your turkey dinner this Christmas and prepare safely.