Make Sure Food Safety Is on Your Thanksgiving Menu

Besides gathering with friends and family, the focus of Thanksgiving is food. Recently, millions of foods have been pulled off grocery store shelves due to health concerns, including E. coli and listeria.

Last month, Oregon-based BrucePac recalled 11.7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products because of suspected listeria. Several brands of bagged carrots have been removed from shelves due to E. coli. And earlier this year, Boar’s Head recalled 71 products over listeria concerns.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the listeria outbreak in deli meats is over, people who are pregnant, 65 or older or have a weakened immune system should still avoid deli meat or reheat it to an internal temperature of 165 degrees to kill any germs. 

John Greene, MD

“Listeria can move from the gastrointestinal tract to the immune cells and then to the brain, often while evading detection until it’s too late,” said John Greene, MD, chair of the Infectious Diseases Program at Moffitt Cancer Center. “We rarely see it at Moffitt even though we have the most vulnerable population due to preventive care and our patients’ selective diets.”

Turkey has also been linked to listeria and salmonella in the past. Most recently, 356 people in 42 states in the U.S. were affected after a salmonella outbreak in raw turkey products in 2019.

Here are some tips to make food safety a priority this holiday season:

1. Make sure you are staying up to date on food recalls from the S. Food and Drug Administration.
2. Thawing a turkey? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as soon as a turkey begins to thaw, bacteria present before freezing will begin to grow again. There are three safe ways to thaw your bird:
   • Refrigerator (the USDA recommended method): It’s safe to store the turkey in the refrigerator for up to two days. Allow the turkey about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds.
   • Microwave: Use the defrost function based on the turkey’s weight.
   • Cold water: Submerge the turkey in cold water and change every 30 minutes.
3. Make sure your turkey is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
4. Wash all countertops, cutting boards, utensils and other kitchen items that come into contact with raw turkey.
5. Always wash your hands before and after handling food.
6. If you have leftovers, make sure to throw away food that has sat out for more than two hours at room temperature. Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four days. If you freeze leftovers, make sure to eat them within six months.