Don't let illness foul your holiday meal

Contributed by S.C. DHEC officials

Want to make a lasting impression on the family this Thanksgiving? Try serving undercooked turkey or other mishandled foods, and your festive meal won’t soon be forgotten. Bacteria like salmonella and E. coli can cause illnesses if they are allowed to survive in foods.

Undercooking the holiday turkey or not maintaining the other dishes at the proper temperatures provides the perfect environment for dangerous bacteria. “You could have a heavily contaminated food item and not know it because bacteria have no smell or taste,” said Sandra Craig, director of the state's Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Division of Food Protection. “It is important not only at the holidays but also year-round to use a meat thermometer to assure proper temperatures kill the bacteria. Washing hands frequently and thoroughly cleaning any area that comes in contact with raw meat also helps prevent contamination.”

DHEC also offers the following tips for preparing traditional holiday food:

If the turkey is frozen, allow about three days for thawing in the refrigerator; never thaw at room temperature. A stuffed turkey is riskier and more difficult to cook than one not stuffed.

Gravy with giblets and eggs should be cooked to 165 degrees Farenheit.

If you plan to fry your turkey, the proper cooking technique is to place the cook pot away from the house or outbuildings, then gently lower the turkey into hot cooking oil at 325 degrees. If lowered too quickly, the oil will spill over the rim of the pot, which can cause injuries or a fire that can spread quickly. The oil will cool once the turkey is lowered into it, so allow the temperature to rise again to 325 degrees Farenheit, then cook the turkey for three minutes per pound (a 12-pound turkey should fry at 325 degrees Farenheit for 36 minutes).

To roast a turkey, they should be cooked internally to 170 to 180 degrees Farenheit. Higher temperatures may make the product dry, and temperatures below 165 degrees will not guarantee the destruction of bacteria. Probe thermometers can be purchased at many retail outlets.

APPROXIMATE UNSTUFFED TURKEY COOKING TIMES in a 325 degree Farenheit oven:

8-12 lbs -- 3 to 3 1/2 hours

12 -14 lbs -- 3 1/2 to 4 hours

14 -18 lbs -- 4 to 4 1/2 hours

18 -20 lbs -- 4 1/2 to 5 hours

Clean hands and clean utensils are essential. A perfectly cooked turkey that is carved on an unclean cutting board or counter top can negate all the safety precautions taken earlier. For best carving results, allow the turkey to stand for 15 to 20 minutes after cooking.

Refrigerate foods at 45°F. or below or keep it hot at 130 degrees Farenheit. or above after reaching the proper cooking temperatures. Leaving food at room temperature for after dinner snacks is not a safe practice. Foods such as cooked rice and pumpkin pie can support bacteria growth and should be refrigerated after the meal.

Leftovers are best handled by getting food into shallow containers and into the refrigerator quickly in containers no more than four inches deep and refrigerated within two hours of the meal. Leftovers should be used within three days of being refrigerated or frozen. Leftover frozen food has best quality if eaten within 30 days. Refrigerated leftovers that are intended to be eaten hot should be reheated rapidly to 165 degrees Farenheit.

Use a refrigerator thermometer to be sure that the refrigerator temperatures stay at 45 degrees Farenheit or below. Overloading or frequent trips in and out of a refrigerator can cause the temperature to rise above a safe level if not carefully monitored.

For other food safety information you can call your local county health department or DHEC’s Division of Food Protection at (803) 896-0640. For food safety information about meat, poultry or eggs, call the toll-free U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hot line at 1-800-535-4555. The hot line is staffed year-round from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday -Friday.