RADIO TRANSCRIPT
Date: November 12, 2020
Agent: Emily Troutman
This is Emily Troutman, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent with the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Burke County Center.
The holidays are upon us! Holiday meals have been linked to many harmful pathogens that can lead to foodborne illness. Cooking for a large crowd, whether in the home or a community kitchen, can lead to mistakes at the expense of food safety.
Follow these tips to have a safe and happy holiday season:
• Clean and sanitize utensils and work surfaces after preparing raw turkey for roasting.
• Wash your hands after handling raw meat or poultry.
• Don’t wash your turkey - research shows that when washing poultry, pathogens can be spread within 3 feet of the sink, where other foods may be prepared.
• Color is not an indicator of safety or doneness - the only way to know whether theturkey is done is with a tip-sensitive digital thermometer reading at least 165°F
• Test temperature in multiple spots, without hitting the bone - hitting the bone could give an inaccurate temperature reading.
• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of taking it out of the oven - Turkey should be
cooled to 41°F quickly. This is best accomplished by slicing it small resealable bags and laying them flat in the refrigerator. Some spore-forming bacteria will grow and form toxins if kept at room temperature for too long.
This has been Emily Troutman, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent with the N.C.
Cooperative Extension, Burke County Center and for more information, contact us at 764-9480.
