Will County health experts offer Thanksgiving food safety reminders

The Will County Health Department is reminding residents to take precautions this holiday season to protect loved ones from foodborne illnesses.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every year, 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die from a foodborne illness, according to a news release from the county health department.

“We want to ensure that you prepare and serve the meal using sound food-safety principles. To make sure this happens, you will need to do some advance planning,” Sean Conners, Will County Health Department’s Environmental Health Division director, said in the release. “Hosting a party for family and friends can be overwhelming and stressful. Adding a complex meal with lots of components may lead to unintended consequences, such as a foodborne illness.”

When it comes to food safety and preparation, the CDC offers advice on how to safely cook a turkey and avoid serious foodborne illnesses such as salmonella.

The first step is to safely thaw the bird. When turkey begins to thaw, any bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to grow again. This is why food safety experts recommend thawing turkeys in the refrigerator, according to the health department.

It takes about 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator, so it can take three days to thaw a 15-pound bird. If you don’t have room to use the refrigerator, you can thaw it in a sink of cold water (change water every 30 minutes) or in the microwave, according to the health department. Never thaw your turkey by leaving it out on the counter.

After your turkey is thawed, there are four main steps for food safety:

Clean – Wash your hands with soap and water before, during and after preparing your food, especially before and after handling turkey.

Separate – Raw turkey and its juice can contaminate anything they touch. Be sure to handle your turkey correctly to prevent harmful germs from spreading to other food or to your family and friends. Use one cutting board for raw turkey and a separate cutting board for produce, bread and other foods that won’t be cooked. Wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing raw turkey and before you prepare the next item.

Cook – Use a food thermometer to check if the turkey and stuffing have reached a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees. Even if your turkey has a pop-up thermometer, you should still use a food thermometer to check that it is safely cooked. Take the temperature in three places: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing.

For stuffing, make sure the stuffing’s center reaches 165 degrees. If you cooked the stuffing in your turkey, wait 20 minutes after taking the bird out of the oven before removing the stuffing. This allows the stuffing to cook a little longer.

Chill – Do not leave foods at room temperature more than two hours. After you are done eating, divide the remaining food into small containers and either refrigerate or freeze. Leftovers are safe in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat all leftovers to at least 165 degrees before serving or eating.

The CDC’s food-safety website can be found at www.cdc.gov/foodsafety, and the CDC’s page on preparing your holiday turkey safely can be found at www.cdc.gov/food-safety/foods/holiday-turkey.html.

More information on food safety during the holidays can be found on the Illinois Department of Public Health website at dph.illinois.gov.

The most common symptoms of foodborne illness include diarrhea, stomach pain or cramps, vomiting, fever and other flu-like symptoms. Symptoms can begin anywhere from hours to days after consuming contaminated food or drinks and can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days, according to the CDC.