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White, dark or pink, turkey meat only done according its internal temperatureWhen cooking the holiday bird this season, remember that the color--white or pink--of cooked poultry is not a sure sign of its doneness, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln food safety specialist said. The only way to know for sure that poultry has reached a safe temperature inside is to test it using a food thermometer, said Julie Albrecht, food safety specialist in the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. "The innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast should reach the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees," Albrecht said. "This means that turkey can remain pink even after cooking to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees. The meat of smoked turkey is always pink." The color of poultry actually is all based on the chemistry of the bird. The protein myoglobin, a major pigment found in all vertebrates, determines meat's color, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Poultry is a lighter color than for example, beef, because it has less myoglobin. In addition, as an animal becomes older its myoglobin content goes up--turkeys are usually only 4 to 5 months at the time of slaughter. A turkey also contains different colors of meat--pink, red or white, also due to myoglobin, which is located in the muscle cells and stores oxygen brought by blood until the cells need it. "The muscles that are used more, such as the legs as turkeys do a lot of standing around, have greater storage capacity than muscles needing little oxygen, such as the wings as turkeys do little, if any, flying. That is why the legs are dark and the wing and breast muscles are white," Albrecht said. Well-done meat that remains pink is due to chemical changes during cooking, Albrecht said. "That's why it's so important to use a food thermometer to determine food doneness," Albrecht said. "You don't want to give your family and friends a foodborne illness." Albrecht recommends these other food safety tips to help prevent foodborne illnesses: --Remember the two-hour rule. Foods should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. --Keep hot food hot and cold foods cold. Hot foods should be kept at 140 degrees or warmer. Cold foods should be kept at 40 degrees or cooler. --Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after handling raw food. --Use plastic or nonporous cutting boards. Wash cutting boards in the dishwasher with hot, soapy water after each use. Use one cutting board for meats and another for cutting vegetables or other ready-to-eat foods. --Never defrost or marinate food at room temperature. Use the refrigerator. Foods also can be defrosted in the microwave if they will be used immediately. --Store raw meat or seafood on a plate or tray to keep juices from dripping onto other foods. --Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat or seafood. --Don't spread bacteria with dirty sponges, dishcloths or towels. Use paper towels or cleansing wipes or freshly cleaned sponges or cloths, soap and hot water to keep food preparation areas clean. --When microwaving, cover, stir and rotate foods to avoid cold spots. --Don't overstuff the refrigerator. Cold air must circulate to keep food safe. Make sure the refrigerator temperature is below 40 degrees and the freezer temperature is below 0 degrees. --Commercially made eggnogs are pasteurized. To make a homemade batch of this favorite holiday drink, be sure to purchase eggs that have been pasteurized in the shell or use an egg substitute. 12/1/08 Date: 11/25/08 Advertisement
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