A Mumsnet user’s experience with uncooked turkey raises concerns about food safety.
On a busy day at the carvery, a Mumsnet user named “ecnatsid” unknowingly consumed raw turkey. Despite her husband noticing the uncooked meat, the busy atmosphere and a screaming toddler prevented them from addressing the issue with the staff. Later, ecnatsid began experiencing cramps and sweats, fearing food poisoning.
Photos of the suspect meat revealed a mixture of raw and fatty portions. While some users identified the jelly-like texture as fat others confirmed the presence of raw, pink turkey. This sparked a discussion about the potential dangers of consuming uncooked poultry.
The consensus among Mumsnet users was that ecnatsid should seek medical attention immediately Food poisoning symptoms can be severe, and prompt medical intervention is crucial Additionally, users advised contacting the carvery to report the incident and ensure proper food safety measures are in place.
Here’s a breakdown of the key points from the Mumsnet thread:
- Unknowingly consuming raw turkey can lead to food poisoning.
- Symptoms of food poisoning include cramps, sweats, and nausea.
- Seeking immediate medical attention is crucial if you suspect food poisoning.
- Reporting the incident to the restaurant is important for ensuring food safety.
While the exact outcome of ecnatsid’s experience remains unknown, the thread serves as a reminder to be vigilant about food safety, especially when dining out. Always check your food thoroughly before consuming it, and don’t hesitate to raise concerns with the restaurant staff if you suspect any issues.
Additional Resources:
- Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS): https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/turkey-food-safety
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/diseases/salmonella/index.html
Remember, when it comes to food safety, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Besides normal stuffing, your turkey is stuffed with salmonella, campylobacter and E. coli, too
Tomorrow, millions of Americans will do something they only do once a year: cook a turkey. Since cooking isn’t something most people do on a daily basis, even seasoned chefs occasionally make mistakes when cooking, such as forgetting to remove the plastic-wrapped giblets from the turkey’s cavity, overcooking and scorching the bird, or, worst of all, undercooking it.
Why is undercooking a turkey such a problem? Notably, it is far easier to undercook a turkey than, say, smaller, more often-cooked poultry like chicken or duck. And while overcooking means the turkey may be partly inedible, it also means that any residual pathogens — meaning bacteria or the like — have undoubtedly died. Not so with undercooking. If you fail to prepare your turkey correctly, you may wind up ingesting some very scary pathogens. In 2018, one person died and over a hundred became ill due to a salmonella outbreak linked to raw turkey.
“Some of the juices from the raw meat may potentially cause food-borne illnesses or other bacterial issues.”
Salmonella certainly isnt the only concern. Raw turkey meat writhes with all sorts of pestilence, so safe preparation is not just a good idea, but a necessity to ensure everyone at the Thanksgiving table stays safe.
The pathogens that can infect a turkey are listed below, along with information on how to prevent them and which ones can be avoided if you properly clean and cook your Thanksgiving turkey. A general piece of advice is to have a decent meat thermometer because many of these can be avoided by cooking a turkey to a safe minimum temperature throughout its flesh.
E. coli
The bacteria Escherichia coli is better known by its short name, E. coli. If you are an animal or a human, the chances are that E. coli live inside your intestines. Dont worry, though: Most strains of E. coli are harmless, or at least cause nothing more than an upset stomach and mild diarrhea. If you accidentally ingest E. coli from undercooked turkey, however, and it is a dangerous strain like E. coli O157:H7, you could be in trouble. Symptoms of severe E. coli infections include severe stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salons weekly newsletter The Vulgar Scientist.
Salmonella
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 400 people die every year from salmonella poisoning, while an estimated 26,000 are hospitalized. Salmonella is passed by birds from one to the other in countless ways, from their nesting to their feeding habits.
If youre talking about turkeys, however, there is a specific salmonella strain that is most common: the Reading strain. When a Salmonella Reading outbreak occurred in 2018, it led to one fatality and 132 hospitalizations, with experts suspecting that it was accidentally introduced to the turkey supply chain and spread nationally before being identified by Minnesota officials.
Like E. coli, salmonella includes gastric symptoms like severe stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Infected patients may also experience bloody stools, chills and fevers. However, cooking your turkey to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit should make it safe from salmonella. There have been recent salmonella outbreaks from California (where it was linked to raw salmon) to Israel (where it was linked to chocolates).
Campylobacter
From Illinois to New York City, campylobacter outbreaks happen all the time; the CDC refers to campylobacter as “the most common bacterial cause of diarrheal illness in the United States.” The term campylobacter refers both to the disease itself and the bacterium which causes it. It leads to gastroenteritis, nausea, diarrhea, fevers and other ailments in people that can ultimately be fatal. Campylobacter is often shed through the feces of infected animals like turkey, but can exist in the meat as well.
The CDC refers to campylobacter as “the most common bacterial cause of diarrheal illness in the United States.”
While the symptoms of campylobacter infection (as with the other illnesses discussed here) are primarily gastric (nausea, cramps, diarrhea), they can also become far more severe: Temporary paralysis, arthritis and even spreading to the bloodstream to cause more serious infections. Fortunately, cooking your turkey to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit should kill any wayward bugs in your meat.
How to properly prepare your turkey
The phrase “cook your turkey to 165 degrees Fahrenheit” has been appearing frequently, as you may have noticed. It seems that temperature does the trick when it comes to keeping your turkey safe, regardless of whether it has one of these three pathogens or something else entirely.
Yet cooking your turkey to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit is not always enough. For the best results, defrost a frozen turkey in the refrigerator, as noted by Salon columnist Michael La Corte. This is because the temperature is regulated, the defrosting process can be gradual and consistent, and any leftover liquids can be collected in a large roasting rack, sheet tray, or other location where the turkey will be cooked. For every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey you have, you should allow it to defrost for 24 hours. If you opt to use the widely used technique of submerging the turkey in cold water, make sure to replace the water every half an hour, preserve the original covering, and make sure the naked turkey isn’t left to sit in your sink.
“A portion of the uncooked meat’s fluids could potentially result in food-borne infections or other bacterial problems,” La Corte says. “Lets try to stay as far away from those as possible. “.
Matthew Rozsa is a staff writer at Salon. Rutgers-Newark awarded him a master’s degree in history in 2012, and the Metcalf Institute granted him a fellowship in science journalism in 2022.
What If You Eat Raw Meat All the Time?
FAQ
What happens if you accidentally eat raw turkey?
How long after eating undercooked turkey would you be sick?
What are the symptoms of raw turkey poisoning?
What do I do if I ate bad turkey?
What should I do if I eat a raw turkey?
Solution: Sanitize any surfaces that come into contact with the turkey, and wash your hands after each time you handle it. Use a clean towel to dry your hands, as a dirty one may be harboring bacteria from your countertops or other kitchen surfaces. Prep raw turkey on a separate surface (like a cutting board) from other foods.
What happens if you eat raw turkey?
Eating raw or undercooked turkey can lead to food poisoning as it may contain harmful bacteria such as Salmonella or Campylobacter. If you suspect that you have eaten raw turkey, take the following steps: 1. Don’t Panic It’s common to feel anxious or worried about your health after consuming raw turkey, but try not to panic.
Can you eat raw turkey cut into slices?
Serve the turkey cut into slices. Tried this recipe? Let us know Eating raw or undercooked turkey can lead to food poisoning as it may contain harmful bacteria such as Salmonella or Campylobacter.
Is it safe to eat raw turkey?
If the temperature of the internal part of the turkey has reached at least 165°F (74°C), then it should be safe to eat. However, if there are still parts that appear to be undercooked or raw, then it is best not to consume them. What Happens If You Accidentally Eat A Piece Of Raw Meat?