Tips for Preparing a Safe Thanksgiving Day Osceola Diary

Provided by the Florida Department of Agriculture

As the holidays approach, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Food Safety Division offer food safety tips for your Thanksgiving meal that can help reduce the causes of common foodborne illnesses.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers these tips for safer food and prevention of foodborne diseases:

Thawing the Turkey: Do not thaw the bird on the kitchen counter, in hot water, or at room temperature for more than two hours. The refrigerator allows slow and safe thawing. Whenever you thaw turkey in the refrigerator, wait approximately 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey. Once thawed, it can be safely stored in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Avoid Cross Contamination: Keep raw meat, seafood, and poultry away from other foods. Whenever you wash your turkey, you should clean and sanitize your sink afterward. Cleaning and disinfection is a two-step process. Pour nettoyer, frottez les surface - and compris l'évier, les planches à découper et les comptoirs - avec du savon et de l'eau chaude, puis disinfect-les avec une solution de nettoyage pour eliminer les germes résiduels que vous ne pouvez see.

Full Bake : Whole turkeys are cooked at a minimum temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, measured with a food thermometer , in three parts: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the wing and part of the thigh. Even if the turkey has a fold-out temperature gauge, use a food thermometer to check that the bird has reached at least 165 degrees in all three places.

Store food at safe temperatures - Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours. Refrigerate all cooked and perishable food within two hours of the end of cooking to ensure the food stays healthy over the weekend.

Store and Reheat Leftovers: Store leftovers in small, shallow containers in the refrigerator until the Monday after Thanksgiving, or in the freezer for later use. Flat containers help cool leftovers faster than storing them in large containers. Heat leftovers to 165 degrees. Check the internal temperature of the food after leaving it to stand in several places with a food thermometer.

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