Turkey tips for Thanksgiving and beyond

First, the latest dietary guidelines now make it clear that turkeys should not be washed before they are put in the oven. In fact, food-safety experts say you shouldn't wash any raw meat or poultry. While some consumers may think that washing helps remove bacteria from the meat and poultry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says it can actually spread bacteria to other foods and utensils and surfaces. Of course, you should use hot soapy water to wash your hands after handling raw meat or poultry (or its packaging). Use the same for counter tops and sinks, or even sanitize them with a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach for every gallon of water.

The USDA has also changed its advice for the cooked temperature for all poultry products. Previously the agency recommended different temperatures for various parts of the bird, such as breasts and thighs. Today, however, the USDA says a turkey is safe when all of it is cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Chefs should check three points to make sure the entire turkey is cooked to at least 165 degrees: the wing joint, the thigh joint and the thickest part of the breast. And if there's stuffing in the turkey, its temperature -- measured at its center -- should also be 165 degrees. But Diane Van, the manager of USDA's meat and poultry hotline, says "the safest way to cook stuffing is a separate container." The best way to measure the temperature is food thermometer. You should use one even if your turkey has a pop-up temperature indicator.

Which prompts us to ask you about your experience with pop-up thermometers. How accurate are they and how well do they work? We'd like to hear from you.

For more food-safety tips, visit these Web sites:

USDA Offers Tips on Safe And Easy Thanksgiving Cooking
Let's Talk Turkey - A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey (USDA)
Washing Food: Does it promote food safety? (USDA, PDF)
Safe cooking of poultry products (USDA, PDF)
And remember, the USDA meat and poultry hotline (1-888-674-6854) is open from 8 A.M. to 2 P.M. Eastern Time on Thanksgiving for your last-minute questions.

Happy dining!

—Marc Perton