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Safety
Avoiding the killer turkey
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According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the cookies and mashed potatoes are relatively easy, but how do you know if a turkey or a beef roast is thoroughly cooked? Is done the same as safe? Food safety experts agree that foods are properly cooked when they are heated long enough and at high enough temperatures to kill the harmful bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses. But how can you tell if food has been heated thoroughly? USDA states that only a food thermometer can be relied upon to accurately ensure bacteria are destroyed. Visual signs of doneness should be reserved for situations in which doneness is reached after the food has reached a safe temperature. Poultry will generally reach a safe temperature (160 F) before it is done. USDA recommends cooking most poultry to 180 F. At 160 F, pathogenic bacteria have been destroyed, but poultry will still be pink and raw looking near the bone, and the juices will be pink and/or cloudy. By 170 F for white meat and 180 F for dark meat, the flesh of poultry will no longer be pink and the juices will be clear. With whole chickens and turkey, the joints will move easily. Although a whole chicken or turkey and poultry parts will visually indicate that they have been thoroughly cooked, stuffed poultry will not. Use a thermometer to be sure the stuffing has reached 165 F.
Beef roast cooked to 160 F will generally have very little pinkness to the meat and the juices will not be pink or red. Below 160 F, the center will be pink or red, depending on the internal temperature. A beef roast cooked to 145 F in the center can be considered safe unless it is a rolled roast or one that has been mechanically tenderized. A consumer would not be able to determine if a roast that was pink in the center had reached the safe temperature of 145 F without a food thermometer. Pork roasts are safe when cooked to 160 F even though the center of the roast may be somewhat pink. Pork chops may have just a trace of pink color at this temperature. Again, a consumer would not be able to determine visually if a pork roast that was pink in the center had reached a safe temperature. Research shows that the color of the meat and juices are not an accurate measure of doneness with ground meat and poultry. Ground beef may turn brown before it has reached a temperature at which bacteria are destroyed. A consumer preparing hamburger patties and depending on visual signs to determine safety by using the brown color as an indicator is taking a chance that microorganisms may survive. A hamburger cooked to 160 F, measured with a food thermometer throughout the patty, is safe - regardless of color. Casseroles and other combination dishes must be cooked to 165 F as measured with a food thermometer. Bacteria could survive if the meat or poultry ingredients in the casseroles were merely "browned" and the casserole was not heated thoroughly. This is especially a worry if the casserole was prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. Use a thermometer to ensure the dish is heated to a safe temperature. Remember, using an accurate food thermometer takes the guesswork out of cooking meats. By using food thermometers on a regular basis, consumers can be assured that the food they cook is done as well as safe. For additional food safety information about meat, poultry, or eggs, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at (800) 535-4555. Hours are weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time, year round. An extensive selection of food safety recordings can be heard 24 hours a day using a touch-tone phone. Information is also available from the Food Safety Inspection Service website: www.fsis.usda.gov Jananne Fink is an extension educator at the Springfield Extension Center, (217)782-6515. She is also a dietician registered with the state of Illinois. 14 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING NOVEMBER 2001 |
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