Oswego County Health Department Provides Tips for Thanksgiving Safety

Nov. 18, 2022

Thanksgiving is a time to get with cherished ones, rejoice the items we are thankful for and delight in a delicious meal jointly. As families prepare their meals for the vacation, the Oswego County Health Division needs to remind people of strategies to make sure a harmless Thanksgiving celebration.

“Large foods these kinds of as Thanksgiving evening meal pose foodstuff basic safety threats, so having safety measures really should be a top priority while planning your meal,” reported Oswego County Interim Public Overall health Director Vera Dunsmoor. “Keep your loved ones secure by washing hands adequately, sanitizing generally, maintaining raw turkey independent from other substances and cooking turkey to a secure interior temperature of 165 levels. Foods ought to also be refrigerated within two hrs soon after mealtime to avert microbes.”

The 1st phase to protected food items preparing is usually handwashing. To clean your hands appropriately, start off by wetting your hands with thoroughly clean jogging h2o and apply soap. Lather your palms by rubbing them with each other with the soap. Be absolutely sure to lather the backs of your fingers, in between your fingers and under your nails. Scrub your hands for at minimum 20 seconds or hum the “Happy Birthday” song from starting to finish two times. Rinse your fingers properly underneath clean up functioning water and dry your fingers employing a thoroughly clean towel. It is specifically important to wash hands correctly soon after handling raw meat or poultry.

Stick to these added tips from the United States Division of Agriculture (USDA) to make certain a food items-safe meal this Thanksgiving:

Avoid cross-contamination. Turkeys can be huge and complicated to handle, which can make the hazard of cross-contamination higher all through Thanksgiving food preparation. Turkeys may perhaps include salmonella and campylobacter, widespread germs that can result in foodborne sickness. Keep raw meat and poultry separate from develop and cooked meals. Put together meals that will not be cooked right before dealing with raw meat and poultry.
Do not clean or rinse a raw turkey, as undertaking so can end result in an increased opportunity of cross-contamination. USDA investigate uncovered that 1 in four persons who clean or rinse poultry cross-contaminate other food items with germs from the poultry.
If you cope with your turkey in the sink, be confident to entirely clear and sanitize your sink and other surfaces afterward and in advance of prepping any other Thanksgiving dishes.
To thoroughly clean surfaces, wash them with soap and warm water to take out grime and debris. Then use a commercial sanitizer, sanitizing wipe, a resolution of chlorine bleach or a different family disinfectant to sanitize. Germs observed in poultry products can survive on counters and kitchen area surfaces for up to 32 hours, so be certain to sanitize after managing raw turkey.
Generally use a foodstuff thermometer while cooking turkey, as there is no way to see, scent or feel microorganisms on the poultry. To destroy micro organism, the turkey have to be fully cooked to a protected inside temperature of 165 levels. The turkey is harmless to take in when it reaches that temperature in 3 destinations: the thickest section of the breast and the innermost pieces of the wing and the thigh. If any of those locations do not register at 165 levels, carry on cooking right up until all a few locations arrive at the safe and sound internal temperature.
Stick to the two-hour rule. Food stuff still left out at home temperature is only protected for two hrs and will become vulnerable to microorganisms if remaining out any longer. Serve modest parts of a big dish, keeping the rest in the oven or fridge. If the turkey is reheated, use a thermometer to make certain that it reaches that safe and sound 165-diploma temperature. If food items has been left out for extra than two hours, it must be discarded.

“While Thanksgiving is an fascinating time to get with family members and pals, recall to observe each day health patterns to assist avoid foodborne and airborne conditions,” reported Diane Oldenburg, affiliate community well being educator with the Oswego County Health and fitness Department. “Good handwashing, cleaning frequently touched surfaces, covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and staying home when you are sick are all strategies to remain safe and sound and healthful this holiday break period.”

When it will come to approaches of cooking, fryers have turn out to be more and more well-known for making ready dinners. On the other hand, when it will come to turkeys, fryers are not the safest alternative for planning Thanksgiving foods. Underwriters Laboratories Inc., and the Countrywide Fire Security Affiliation alert in opposition to the use of turkey fryers due to protection threats. Models are susceptible to tipping more than and spilling hot oil, which poses the threat of a dwelling fire. Sides, handles and the lid of the cooking pots get dangerously warm, and overheating can arise simply with appliances that are not managed with a thermostat.

If you system to use a fryer to get ready your turkey, follow these Empire State Safety Affiliation strategies for safer use:

Constantly use turkey fryers outdoors on flat, non-combustible surfaces. Keep the fryer a safe and sound distance from all combustibles. Also pay back interest to the climate and hardly ever use the fryer if it is raining or snowing.
By no means go away a fryer unattended. Small children and animals should be kept a risk-free length away from the fryer though in use and after, as the oil will continue being very hot.
Do not overfill the fryer. Make confident that the turkey is completely thawed and cost-free of all extra h2o.
Use nicely insulated potholders or oven mitts. Safety goggles are strongly encouraged as effectively.
Under no circumstances use water to extinguish a grease hearth.
Usually observe the producer directions for the fryer.

For concerns about food items security this Thanksgiving, contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) to chat to a food stuff protection expert or chat are living at request.usda.gov from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday by Friday. If you want assist on Thanksgiving Day, the Meat and Poultry Hotline is available from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can also visit FoodSafety.gov to understand much more about how to safely select, thaw and put together a turkey.

For additional information on remaining healthier this season, call the Oswego County Health and fitness Section at 315-349-3547.