With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I want to give you the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention food safety tips for your holiday turkey. All of the following information is directly from the CDC’s website, cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/holiday-turkey.html. Handling poultry incorrectly and undercooking it are the most common problems that lead to food-borne disease outbreaks. Follow these four tips to help you safely prepare your next holiday turkey meal.

1. Thaw your turkey safely in one of three ways - in the refrigerator in a container; in a leakproof plastic bag in a sink of cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes; or in the microwave, following the microwave oven manufacturer’s instructions. Never thaw your turkey by leaving it out on the counter. When the turkey is left out at room temperature for more than two hours, its temperature becomes unsafe. Bacteria can grow rapidly in the danger zone between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Raw poultry can contaminate anything it touches with harmful bacteria. Follow the four steps to food safety - clean, separate, cook and chill - to prevent the spread of bacteria.

3. Cooking stuffing separately from the turkey in a casserole dish makes it easy to be sure it is thoroughly cooked, but if you cook stuffing in the turkey, put the stuffing in the turkey just before cooking. With either cooking method, use a food thermometer to make sure the stuffing’s center reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit and may then cause food poisoning. If you cook stuffing in the turkey, wait 20 minutes after taking the bird out of the oven before removing the stuffing to allow it to cook a little more.

4. Set the oven temperature to at least 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the completely thawed turkey in a roasting pan 2 to 2-1/2 inches deep. Cooking times will vary depending on the weight of the turkey. Use a food thermometer to make sure the turkey has reached a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Check by inserting a food thermometer into the center of the stuffing and the thickest portions of the breast, thigh and wing joint. Even if your turkey has a pop-up temperature indicator, you should still use a food thermometer to check that it is safely cooked. Let the turkey stand 20 minutes before removing all stuffing from the cavity and carving the meat.

The bacteria Clostridium perfringens grows in cooked foods left at room temperature. The major symptoms are vomiting and abdominal cramps within six to 24 hours after eating. These bacteria outbreaks occur most often in November and December.

Refrigerate leftovers at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder as soon as possible and within two hours of preparation to prevent food poisoning. Slice or divide big cuts of meat, such as a roast turkey, into small quantities for refrigeration so they will cool quickly. Reheat all leftovers to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving.