Turkey Facts

• Every year nearly ten million turkeys are sold during the festive season.
• December is one of the most common months for people to fall ill from food poisoning after eating poultry.
• More than four fifths of Britons think they are doing the right thing by washing the turkey before cooking it.
• In fact, washing a turkey or any other bird can splash harmful bacteria already on the bird around the kitchen leading to the cross contamination of other foods.
• Proper cooking of your turkey will eliminate any bacteria on the bird so there is no need to wash the turkey but don't forget to wash your hands after handling.

Preparation

• Plan a realistic amount of food that you can cope with. If you have so much perishable food that it won't fit in the fridge, you might compromise its safety by storing it somewhere that isn't cold enough.
• Try and buy a turkey that's realistic for your needs - the bigger the turkey the more difficult it is to prepare and cook safely. Try to use any leftovers ideally within 48 hours.
• Store raw meat at the bottom of the fridge, preferably in a covered container where it can't drip onto other foods.
• Wash hands, chopping boards, utensils and work surfaces after they have been in contact with raw meat. Try to use separate chopping boards just for raw meat.

Defrosting

• Make sure the turkey is properly thawed before you cook it. The labels on frozen turkeys will generally include defrosting instructions, but timings can vary depending on the size of the bird and the temperature of the place it is kept. When it's completely thawed there won't be any ice crystals inside the cavity. You can also test it with a fork to tell whether the meat feels frozen.

Cooking

• Cook meat thoroughly to make sure you avoid any bacteria surviving the cooking process. Use the cooking instructions on the packaging as a guide and refer to your oven manufacturer's guidelines where possible.

• As a general guide, for a turkey under 4.5kg allow 45 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes; for one weighing between 4.5kg and 6.5kg 40 minutes per kg; and for those over 6.5kg 35 minutes per kg at 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4 (after the oven has preheated). Always make sure that poultry is piping hot all the way through and that any juices run clear.

• Don't leave food out all day. It is better to put out small amounts at a time, so that what has been on the table has just been cooked or just come out of the fridge.

For further advice on cooking, defrosting times and methods, view the Food Standards Agency website who have more information including cooking and defrosting calculators.  You can find the factual information on their turkey food poisoning report webpage. 

And for a few tips on the enjoying the best of produce available over Christmas and the winter months, visit the Food Standards Agency Winter eating pages.