WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Because of the
unified efforts of America's turkey farmers and processors, the
federal government and retailers, U.S. consumers can have greater
confidence than ever in the safety of the turkeys they consume at
Thanksgiving and throughout the year. Those same consumers can rest
easy knowing they have ultimate control in the fight against
foodborne illness. Shelley Feist,
Executive Director of the Partnership for Food Safety Education,
encouraged holiday cooks to follow four simple steps – clean,
separate, cook, chill – to help guarantee a safe and healthy
holiday meal:
- Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20
seconds and ensure surfaces are clean both before and after coming
in contact with raw poultry. Never rinse your turkey, or any meat
or poultry, as that can spread bacteria that might be present
around the kitchen.
- Prevent cross-contamination by using different cutting boards
to separate raw poultry from produce and other items you're
preparing.
- Cook your turkey to a minimum internal temperature of 165
degrees F as measured by a food thermometer. If you're cooking a
whole bird, make sure to check for doneness in the innermost part
of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Cooking
to the proper temperature will kill all bacteria with absolute
certainty.
- Chill leftovers immediately and use or freeze leftovers within
three to four days.
This message is especially important in light of reports from
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that some have been sickened
by a strain of Salmonella Reading that may be associated
with raw turkey.
America's turkey farmers have made controlling and reducing all
forms of Salmonella in turkey products a top priority.
Salmonella is a naturally occurring organism found on many
meat and poultry products. There are more than 2,000 serotypes
(strains) of this bacteria, and only a handful are known to cause
illness in people.
"All raw foods – meat, poultry, fruits and vegetables – can have
naturally occurring bacteria," said Joel
Brandenberger, President of the National Turkey Federation.
"That's why turkey producers work closely with each other, and our
partners in the federal government, to aggressively tackle any food
safety issues as they arise."
"Food safety is a non-competitive issue among turkey companies,"
Brandenberger continued. "Producers share information with each
other and food safety officials about techniques and practices that
are most effective in reducing harmful bacteria on products.
Nothing is more important than the safety of the food we
produce."
As soon as USDA and CDC made the turkey industry aware of the
possible link between Salmonella Reading illnesses and
turkey, the industry went into action. More than 20 turkey
companies representing virtually all U.S. turkey production formed
a task force charged with developing strategies to control this
strain. Companies participated regardless of whether they sell raw
turkey products or whether Salmonella Reading had ever been
found in their turkeys.
"Turkey producers have focused
on controlling Salmonella and other potentially harmful
bacteria for decades now, and government testing shows we have been
highly successful in reducing the overall prevalence of this
bacteria on whole turkeys," Brandenberger said. "We are now
focusing additional attention on this specific strain, and the
industry once again has come together to meet the challenge. Our
task force is researching specific techniques, interventions and
other strategies for addressing all strains of Salmonella,
including Reading. Some programs are already in place, and
additional recommendations will be forthcoming."
Brandenberger pointed out that, to date, no "magic bullet" has
been found that will completely eliminate Salmonella on the
farm or in processing plants. The only way to eliminate
Salmonella and other potentially harmful bacteria is through
proper preparation and handling of meat and poultry
products.
For more information on food safety techniques, visit
eatturkey.org, foodsafety.gov or fightbac.org.
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SOURCE National Turkey Federation