The Health Department in New York wants to remind all residents of the safety required when preparing Thanksgiving dinner this week.
By taking the appropriate precautions you limit the risk of people getting sick from foodborne illnesses.
“We want to ensure that New Yorkers avoid foodborne illness and stay healthy during the holiday season, as Thanksgiving is a time for family, food, and friends,”State Commissioner of Health Dr. Mary T. Bassett said, according to CNY Central.
“Practicing simple food preparation safety throughout the holidays is an easy way to prevent foodborne illnesses and help keep friends and family healthy,” Bassett added.
When it comes to fresh meats, wrap them when you buy them at the store in plastic bags to prevent them from dripping onto other items. You should put your cold items in the fridge immediately when you get home. Never thaw your turkey with hot water or by leaving it out on the counter. Thaw it correctly using your fridge, cold water, or the microwave per USDA standards. When handling raw poultry do not spread germs around your food preparation area. Marinate your food in your fridge and do not taste it or reuse it after it has had raw meat in it. If your meat is raw or undercooked do not eat it. Check all meat while you’re cooking with a thermometer.
Finally, when cooking stuffing, be safe about it. When you cook it inside of a turkey it can struggle to reach safe temperatures. By cooking stuffing on its own you can thoroughly cook it. If you want to cook it in the turkey then put it in just before cooking. Be sure the stuffing’s center reaches 165 degrees with a thermometer.
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