NEWS 25 - WEHT: Evansville, Henderson, Owensboro-Tips offered for preventing holiday food poisoning
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Associated Press - November 25, 2009 4:14 AM ET
CHICAGO (AP) - With the nation's biggest food holiday fast approaching, public health officials have some tips for avoiding food poisoning.
About 76 million cases of foodborne illness occur each year.
Cook County's public health department says prevention starts with hand-washing before handling any food, and cleaning surfaces and utensils with hot soapy water between each step.
Also:
Never use wooden utensils or cutting boards for raw meat and poultry.
Thaw turkey in the fridge. A 20-pound bird takes two to three days to defrost.
If mixing stuffing a day ahead, pre-mix only the dry ingredients. And don't stuff the bird until you are ready to cook.
Turkey is done at 180 degrees Fahrenheit; stuffing should be 165 degrees.
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