Serve Up Safety This Thanksgiving

The Environmental Health Department is reminding residents to prioritize food safety throughout Thanksgiving festivities. From grocery shopping to cooking at home, and even handling leftovers, each step carries important food safety considerations to ensure a healthy holiday.

“Our mission is to protect the community by promoting safe food practices,” said Environmental Health Department Deputy Director, Dr. Mark DiMenna. “We want everyone to enjoy a holiday meal without worry, knowing they’re following steps to keep their families safe.”

Shopping:

• Bacteria can multiply to dangerous levels if perishables, like turkey, are left in the Danger Zone (temperatures between 40 F and 140 F) for too long. Pick up your turkey and other perishable products at the end of your grocery shopping so they stay cold as long as possible. Pack perishables in insulated bags with cold sources if the commute home is longer than an hour and place them in the refrigerator as soon as you get home.
• Make sure the packaging of your turkey is not torn or leaking. Juices from raw poultry can cause cross-contamination of harmful bacteria that can get you sick. Place turkey, and other raw meat products, in plastic bags and in a separate part of your shopping cart to prevent harmful bacteria from spreading.

Turkey thawing:

• Refrigerator Thawing: When thawing in a fridge, allow roughly 24 hours for every four to five pounds of turkey. After thawing, a turkey is safe in a refrigerator for one to two days.
• Cold Water Thawing: When thawing in a cold-water bath, allow 30 minutes per pound and submerge the turkey in its original wrapping to avoid cross-contamination. Change the water every half hour until the turkey is thawed. Cook it immediately after thawing.

Home preparation:

• Handwashing is the first step to avoiding foodborne illness. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water before, during and after handling food.
• Clean and sanitize any surfaces that have touched raw turkey and its juices and will later touch food, such as kitchen counters, sinks, stoves, tabletops, etc.
• Cross-contamination is the spread of bacteria from raw meat and poultry onto ready-to-eat food, surfaces, and utensils. Avoid this by using separate cutting boards — one for raw meat and poultry and another for ready-to-eat foods like fruits and vegetables that will be served raw.
• Do not cook your turkey overnight at a low temperature: It is not safe to cook any meat or poultry in an oven set lower than 325 F. Cook your turkey at 325 F or above and ensure all parts of the turkey reach a safe internal temperature of 165 F.
• Always use a food thermometer to ensure your turkey has reached a safe internal temperature of 165 F in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the wing, and the innermost part of the thigh to check its internal temperature.
• USDA recommends against stuffing your turkey since this often leads to bacteria growth.

Leftovers:

• Store leftovers in small shallow containers and put them in the refrigerator. Thanksgiving leftovers are safe to eat for up to four days when stored in the refrigerator. In the freezer, leftovers are safely frozen indefinitely but will keep the best quality for two to six months.

Learn more food safety tips on our website: https://www.cabq.gov/environmentalhealth/food-safety/restaurant-food-safety