By Carol A. Cates, MSN, MBA, RN
Chief Nursing Officer
Odessa Regional Medical Center
Is it just me or does the end of the year always seem to accelerate? Maybe it’s the fact that it seems like the Christmas displays go up earlier and earlier every year in stores. I don’t know what it is, but this year, especially the last couple months have just flown by. it’s hard to believe its already Thanksgiving week! With all the food and celebrations coming up, not just for Thanksgiving, but for the rest of the holiday season, I thought it would be a good time to remind people about holiday food safety.
With all the data that is tracked these days, you would think there would be statistics on food borne illness related to the holidays. Unfortunately, there is not. What we do know is anecdotal reports of increased food borne illness from emergency room experts during the holidays. We also know that an estimated 48 million people in the U.S. get food borne illnesses every year. Of those, 128,000 people are hospitalized, and 3,00 people die.
The most common causes of food borne illness are salmonella, e-coli, and listeria. We also know the main course for traditional Holiday meals in the US, turkey, is a common source of salmonella contamination, and if not handled properly can cause food borne illness. With all of that, it makes sense that food safety during the holidays is something we all need to consider.
The National Safety Council (NSC) recommends the following practices for safely handling food during this holiday season. Wash your hands frequently when handling food. Keep raw meat away from fresh produce. Use separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils for uncooked and cooked meats. Use a food thermometer to make sure meat is cooked to a safe temperature. Refrigerate hot or cold leftovers within two hours of being served. Cut turkey leftovers into small pieces so it can chill quickly. Leftovers are good for 3-4 days, if they are properly refrigerated. If you want to keep longer, consider freezing.
Turkeys, because they can contain bacteria do need some considerations when handling. Here are some safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for safely handling your holiday bird. Frozen raw turkeys need to be stored at 0 degrees or below until they are ready to thaw. Do not store frozen turkeys in places where the temperature cannot be controlled like car trunks, basements, outdoor spaces, or in snow. There are three safe ways to thaw turkeys.
First, you can keep your turkey in its original packaging and put it in a container in the refrigerator. The container is important to keep any turkey juice from dripping on other food in your refrigerator. It will take about 24 hours for each 4-5 pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator. Once thawed, the turkey needs to be cooked in 1-2 days.
A faster method is to thaw your turkey in cold water. Place the turkey in a leakproof bag—this prevents juices from spreading in the kitchen and also keeps your turkey from absorbing excess water. Cover the turkey with cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. It takes about 30 minutes per pound to thaw in this way, and you need to cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed.
Finally, you can thaw your turkey in the microwave, using the microwave manufacturer instructions. Just like with the water thaw, you need to cook microwave thawed turkeys immediately after thawing.
Never thaw a turkey at room temperature. If it sits at room temperature for more than 2 hours, it can become a bacterium breeding ground, even if it is still partially frozen.
Handle turkeys carefully, again make sure you are washing your hands and using separate cutting boards. Never wash a turkey. That practice can spread germs. A U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that even after cleaning out the sink 1 in 7 people who washed their turkeys still had germs that could cause food borne illness in their sinks.
Cook stuffing thoroughly, cooking dressing separately in another dish is a far safer cooking method. Make sure you cook your turkey to a safe temperature, the CDC recommends at least 165 degrees in 3 places, the thickest part of the breast, where the body and thigh join, and where the body and wing join.
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. This has been a tough year, but also a year with much to be grateful for in friends, family, and life. Please stay safe this holiday season.
