A Reminder About Turkey Safety This Thanksgiving

Adopting standard safe cooking and safe handling practices (clean, separate, cook and chill) reduces the risk to yourself and your family of getting sick from undercooked turkey and stuffing and from cross-contamination during preparation.

To reduce your risk of getting sick:

• Store your turkey in a leak-proof bag or container in the refrigerator or freezer immediately after you buy it.
• Thawing your turkey at room temperature is discouraged. It's better to thaw turkey in the refrigerator or in cold water.
• If you thaw your turkey in cold water, keep the turkey in its original wrapping and change the cold water regularly to ensure that the water remains cold.
• Don't rinse raw turkey. This can spread bacteria everywhere the water splashes, creating a safety hazard.
• Wash your hands carefully with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw poultry and clean and disinfect surfaces and kitchen utensils touched by raw or thawing turkey and its juices.
• Use a digital food thermometer, and cook turkey until the temperature of the thickest part of the breast or thigh is at least 85ºC (185ºF).
• Cook stuffing separately in its own oven dish or on the stove top. If you do stuff your turkey, stuff loosely just prior to roasting, and remove all stuffing immediately after cooking. Cook stuffing to a minimum internal temperature of 74ºC (165ºF).
• Refrigerate all leftovers within two hours of cooking. Use leftover turkey meat, stuffing, gravy and other cooked dishes within two to three days or freeze right away for later use.
• Foods such as fully cooked turkey and potatoes can be eaten cold. Gravy should be reheated to reach a full rolling boil and other leftovers should be reheated to at least 74ºC (165ºF).

Turkey poses particular food safety challenges because it can be contaminated with bacteria such as Salmonella, which can cause diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps.

It's estimated that there are approximately 11 million cases of food-related illnesses in Canada every year. Many of these illnesses could be prevented by following proper food handling and preparation techniques.

More information about safe food preparation is available from:

The Government of Canada's Turkey Food Safety Tips

It's Your Health on Poultry Facts

It's Your Health on Holiday Food Safety

The Government of Canada's Food Safety Tips for Leftovers

The Government of Canada's Tips for Using Digital Food Thermometers

Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education's Be Food Safe Canada Campaign