ARLINGTON, Va. (7News) — 7News On Your Side is helping you keep your family safe this holiday season.
If you need help with your turkey today, the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Meat and Poultry Hotline is up and running from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can call 1-888-674-6854.
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According to the USDA, you’ll want to make sure your turkey reaches a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use a food thermometer, and check in three places- the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh, and the innermost part of the wing.
Leftovers must be refrigerated within two hours of serving.
“The danger zone is the temperature zone that we consider dangerous for any perishable items,” said Jesse Garcia, a public affairs specialist with the USDA. “Those cold or hot items you don’t want them sitting down for too long in the temperature zone of 40 degrees, between 40 degrees and 140 degrees.”
After each reheating, the USDA said leftovers will be safe to eat for an additional 3-4 days, but keep in mind the quality decreases each time. It’s best to reheat only a few times or freeze the food to keep it as high quality as possible.
On Monday, you’ll want to decide whether to finish the leftovers, throw them out, or freeze them for later.
Each time the food is reheated, Garcia said it has to reach the 165-degree mark.
