Prince George, B.C. – Christmas is a time of joy for most families, so why spoil things by undercooking your turkey and getting sick?

In order to avoid that unpleasant scenario, Alicia Parayno, environmental health officer at Northern Health, has provided some tips:

– Ensure temperature control: Make sure the turkey is kept in a fridge at four degrees celsius or colder and cooked within two to three days after purchasing.
– Thaw properly: If the turkey is frozen, it can be thawed safely in the refrigerator or under cold, running water. In both instances, it is good practice to keep the turkey stored in its original plastic wrapper to prevent any potential cross contamination.
– Avoid cross contamination: Wash your hands, utencils and cutting boards to prevent cross contamination of the bird and other foods.
– Visual cues are unreliable: The only sure way to check is to use a thermometer and check the internal temperature of the turkey.
– Cook it properly: Your entire turkey and the stuffing must reach at least 75 degrees celsius to be safe to eat. If your turkey is done but your stuffing isn’t, remove the stuffing and cook it separately.

“The goal of these tips is to leave as few opportunities as possible for the bacteria to grow and minimize cross contamination to other foods. In that way, you and your company can enjoy both a splendid meal and holiday.”

As for the number of people who get sick in the Northern Health region due to turkey poisoning each year, that’s anyone’s guess.

“Cases do pop up, but often times people just either try to treat themselves at home or just pass it off as ‘oh, I’m just a little under the weather’,” says Parayno. “And sometimes we don’t get those people reporting in so it’s hard to gather.”

Though local statistics aren’t available, Christina Doll, communications officer with Northern Health, was able to forward the following numbers:

“According to our environmental health officer, it is estimated that there are 4 million episodes of Food Borne Illness in Canada annually and about 1 in 8 people will pick it up each year.”