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Don't Let Leftovers Poison Your Holiday

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IRENE MAHER, Channel 8 Medical Editor

Published: November 16, 2007

Some people think leftovers are the best part of Thanksgiving.

Not Cynthia Lewis-Younger.

Food poisoning calls spike the week after Thanksgiving, says the medical director for the Florida Poison Information Center based at Tampa General Hospital.

"It's the leftovers and leaving food out too long and not storing it properly," she says.

On Thanksgiving Day for the past four years, the number of food poisoning complaints called in to the Poison Information Center have been comparable to other days, according to the statewide database.

But each year, up to eight days after Thanksgiving, the hot line gets more food poisoning calls than it does the rest of the month.

"It fits," says Lewis-Younger. "People are not storing food properly."

Once perishable food has been on the table for more than two hours, it is unsafe to eat. Perishable food includes anything that contains meat, poultry, seafood, milk, cream or eggs. Foods such as stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey, gravy, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie. As soon as those foods come off the heat or out of the fridge, the food safety clock starts ticking. You have two hours before you have to get it back up to piping hot or down to refrigerator cold. After two hours, harmful bacteria start having their own party, growing and multiplying in the warm, moist atmosphere food provides.

To prevent problems, follow safe food-handling practices during food preparation. That means scrubbing and rinsing fresh produce under running water and keeping raw meat, poultry and seafood separate from everything else in the kitchen to avoid cross-contamination.

Thoroughly wash all surfaces, cutting boards and utensils with hot, soapy water. And wash your hands frequently. If you're doing it right, your hands should be red and shriveled by the end of the day. (Avoid some of that by keeping a supply of disposable latex gloves handy. Mine are in a cookie jar next to the sink.)

Once the turkey is in the oven, use a cooking thermometer to check for doneness. Don't rely on your eyes. A turkey can be beautifully brown on the outside and perfectly pink on the inside. To destroy harmful bacteria, cook the bird to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Insert the thermometer at least 2 inches into the thickest part of the thigh, breast and wing, being careful not to hit a bone. I prefer an instant read thermometer available at most grocery stores for less than $5.

The United States Department of Agriculture also recommends baking stuffing in a separate pan rather than in the turkey cavity. Stuffing should also be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. The turkey can reach this temperature before the center of the stuffing, providing the perfect warm, moist conditions for bacteria to multiply to harmful levels. If you do decide to stuff your turkey, do it right before putting the bird in the oven. Never stuff a turkey the night before.

Within two hours of your feast, portion the leftovers into small, shallow containers and refrigerate or freeze immediately. Turkey should be cut off the bones and sliced into small pieces. If you're sending leftovers home with friends and family, plan to have on hand plenty of to-go containers and heavy duty zip top bags. Ask your guests to bring ice and a cooler so the leftovers have a safe ride home.

Thanksgiving leftovers that are refrigerated should be used within two to three days. If you want to keep them longer, store them in the freezer for no longer than one month.

If you have a question about food safety and preparation, call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays year-round and on Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you have a health or medical concern you can call The Florida Poison Information Center at 1-800-222-1222 anytime from anywhere in Florida.

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