Taste Test Your Thanksgiving Treats at the Right Time

Thanksgiving is the most delicious holiday of the year and brings many tests to the kitchen. Will all the dishes be ready on time? Can we pull off this new casserole recipe? Many of these tests will be met with success; however, one test you should be careful of is the taste test. Taste testing undercooked meat and poultry can be a recipe for disaster.

Avoid taste testing the turkey until you've confirmed it has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing and the thickest part of the breast. Stuffing counts, too - don't sneak a taste test of stuffing inside the turkey until you've confirmed the center of the stuffing has reached 165 degrees F.

Taste testing appetizers and other side dishes, even if they are ready, can also be dangerous if proper handwashing is not followed. It is easy for bacteria to spread when preparing a large meal - so hands need to be washed before, during, and after meal preparation for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.

Foods that have been left out at room temperature for more than two hours can be unsafe. Since you can't taste bacteria that cause foodborne illness, skip the taste test and discard food that has passed the two-hour time limit.

We love leftovers, but they don't last forever. Don't taste test leftovers that have been in the refrigerator for more than four days.

Bottom line: don't sneak a taste unless you know the food is safe!

For more information about food safety, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), email [email protected], or chat live at ask.usda.gov from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday to reach a food safety specialist in English or Spanish. The Meat and Poultry Hotline is also open on Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time.