The Illinois Department of Public Health is urging families to keep food safety in mind during Thanksgiving preparations. You want to avoid cross contamination says the state’s Chief Medical Officer Jennifer Layden. That means keeping raw eggs, meats and their juices away from foods that won’t be cooked, and not rinsing the turkey off in the sink. She also advises packing up leftovers soon after dinner in small bundles.
Layden says it’s a good idea to use a meat thermometer. Turkey should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.