The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is encouraging residents to adopt preventative measures for Thanksgiving meal preparations to avoid foodborne illnesses. Given that many traditional Thanksgiving dishes incorporate raw or undercooked meats, there's potential for contamination with harmful bacteria such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, or E. coli. Consequently, the department is recommending several key safety tips that include maintaining hand hygiene, preventing cross-contamination, and ensuring proper storage temperatures according to the press release.
To defrost a turkey, the Department of Public Health suggests doing it in the refrigerator at 40°F or lower, keeping the turkey in its original wrapper to avoid dripping onto other foods. The process takes roughly 24 hours for every five pounds of turkey. Conversely, if you opt for defrosting in cold water, the turkey should be in leakproof wrapping and the water changed every 30 minutes. The defrosting duration in this case would be around 30 minutes per pound, allowing for an immediate cook after.
For cooking the turkey, the recommended oven temperature is a minimum of 325°F. The turkey must be properly cooked to at least 165°F; this is checked with a food thermometer inserted in the turkey's thigh, avoiding bone contact.
Good hand hygiene is highlighted by the department; they urge washing your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after handling food and after restroom use. The washing of fruits and vegetables prior to cutting or eating them is also deemed vital. Measures to prevent cross-contamination include separating raw meats and poultry from other foods, with separate cutting boards, knives, and platters for different food types, and washing these items after each food preparation.
Serving and storing food necessitates care too. Maintaining hot food at 135°F or above without touching the bone and keeping cold foods at 40°F or lower with hot hold equipment or oven settings for the former and refrigeration for the latter. To avoid spoilage, leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours of serving and consumed within three to four days.
