Keep Food Safety On Your Menu All Year Round

Safely handling and preparing this holiday favorite is very important. Poultry—mainly chicken and turkey—is often contaminated with Salmonella, a germ that can make people seriously ill and can even lead to death. Salmonella can spread from poultry to people, especially when people handle raw poultry, eat raw or undercooked poultry, or let raw poultry or its juices touch foods that are served raw or lightly cooked.

Previous research has shown which types of Salmonella are more likely to cause outbreaks, but less is known about illnesses not linked to outbreaks. CDC conducted a study to learn which types of Salmonella are more likely to cause illnesses soon after Thanksgiving. The Salmonella type most strongly associated with Thanksgiving—and likely turkey too—was Reading, followed by types Hadar, Schwarzengrund, and Heidelberg.

These findings might help the turkey industry produce safer turkeys. In the meantime, consumers should consider that all raw poultry might be contaminated with Salmonella or other harmful germs. Protect yourself by cooking poultry to a safe internal temperature and following these steps to prevent cross-contamination.