USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health

agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring

that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products

is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.

USDA Photo

Food Safety Information

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

Q. “I just discovered I cooked the turkey with the

package of giblets still inside the cavity. Are the

turkey and giblets safe to eat?”

A. If giblets were left in the cavity during roasting, even

though this is not recommended, the turkey and giblets

are probably safe to use. However, if the packaging

containing the giblets has changed shape or melted in any

way during cooking, do not use the giblets or the turkey

because harmful chemicals from the packaging may have

penetrated the surrounding meat.

Q. “This morning, I discovered the pork roast was

left out all night. I took it out of the freezer to

thaw for awhile last night and forgot to put it back

in the fridge before I went to bed. The roast is

completely thawed and warm to the touch. If I

cook it, will it be safe?”

A. Unfortunately, this roast should be discarded. It has

been out of refrigeration too long. Refrigerate

perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours

(1 hour if the temperature is above 90 °F). At room

temperature, bacteria that may be present in raw meat

and poultry multiply very rapidly and some types of

bacteria will produce toxins which are not destroyed by

cooking and can possibly cause illness. Never thaw frozen

meat or poultry on the kitchen counter. Refrigerator

thawing is much safer. You may also thaw foods in cold

water or in the microwave. These foods must be cooked

immediately to a safe minimum internal temperature

before refrigerating.

Q. “I received a gift of a smoked pheasant from a

mail order company. It was packed in a box with

no dry ice or frozen gel packs. It wasn’t cold even

though the label said “keep refrigerated.” Because

it is smoked, will that make it safe?”

Hotline Answers “Panic Button”

Holiday Food Safety Questions

“Help! I’m having 20 people over for dinner and I think I cooked the meat unsafely!” The USDA Meat and Poultry

Hotline receives similar calls every day about the safety of food. During the holidays, people are busy and

sometimes forget that unsafe handling and cooking can lead to foodborne illness.

Here are some questions callers have asked regarding the safety of their holiday foods.

PhotoDisc

A. Poultry and hams are smoked for “flavor,” not

preservation. The only exceptions are country hams and

dry sausages which are safe at room temperature because

of their high salt content and dryness. If a product is

labeled “keep refrigerated,” that’s a warning it must be

kept cold to be safe. Don’t eat the product; throw it away.

If perishable food arrives warm — above 40 °F as

measured with a food thermometer — notify the company.

It’s the shipper’s responsibility to deliver the product on

time, properly packaged and handled safely; the

customer’s responsibility is to have someone at home to

receive it and refrigerate it immediately.

Q. “I purchased a fresh stuffed turkey from my

local grocery store in the deli department. One of

my houseguests said it’s not safe to cook and eat

it. Is she right?”

A. Your houseguest must be well-informed on food safety.

She’s right: DO NOT USE IT! We recommend discarding or

returning the product to the store where purchased.

USDA recommends only buying frozen pre-stuffed turkeys

that display the USDA or State mark of inspection on the

packaging. These turkeys are safe because they have

been processed under controlled conditions. DO NOT

THAW before cooking. Cook from the frozen state. Follow

package directions for safe handling and cooking.

Q. “The instructions on the ham said it would take

about 4 hours to cook, but the thermometer read

160 °F after 3 hours. The problem is that we won’t

be eating for another 2 hours. Can I leave it out on

the counter covered with foil?”

A. That’s not a good idea. Bacteria that cause foodborne

illness can contaminate safely cooked food left out at room

temperature. Scientists have found that after 2 hours at
“Panic Button” Food Safety Questions

The USDA is an equal opportunity

 provider and employer.

Revised December 2010

FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety

purposes. However, the included image from PhotoDisc, used under license, is

protected by the copyright laws of the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere, and may

not be saved or downloaded except for printing of this publication.

room temperature, bacteria can multiply on foods to high

enough levels to cause illness. Since the ham will be out

extra time for carving and serving, it’s better to cover it

and keep it in a 200 °F oven until you’re ready to serve

it. Check the ham with a food thermometer to make sure

it doesn’t go below an internal temperature of 140 °F

while it’s in the oven.

Q. “ What should I do? I put a 20 lb turkey in a

200 °F oven before I went to bed last night, and

the pop-up timer says it’s already done at 7:30

this morning. We won’t be eating until 3 p.m.”

A. You have two problems here. First, overnight cooking

of meat at a low temperature isn’t a safe method so we

don’t recommend eating this turkey. It’s not safe to cook

any meat or poultry in an oven set lower than 325 °F. At

200 °F, meat remains in the “Danger Zone” too long

(between 40 and 140 °F) where bacteria multiply rapidly

to levels high enough to cause illness.

Even if the turkey had been cooked at a safe oven

temperature, holding a safely cooked turkey at a safe

internal temperature of 140 °F or above for this amount

of time can dry it out and affect the quality. If a safely

cooked turkey must be held from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.,

for optimal safety and quality it should be carved and

refrigerated in covered shallow containers and served

cold or reheated to an internal temperature of 165 °F.

Use a food thermometer to check the internal

temperature.

Q. “My aunt has a holiday party every year. It

lasts all afternoon and into the evening. She

leaves food sitting out on the table for hours. I

have small children and am concerned that they

could get sick if they eat it. What should I do?”

A. You’re right to be concerned about your children. They,

as well as pregnant women, older adults, and persons with

a weakened immune system, stand a greater chance of

getting sick and suffering complications from food

poisoning. Everyone should avoid eating perishable foods

which are not either kept cold or hot. Hopefully your aunt

will keep hot foods hot (140 °F or warmer) in a chafing

dish, slow cooker or warming trays. Cold foods should be

held at 40 °F or colder, nestled in bowls of ice or replaced

often from the refrigerator. You can offer your child these

with confidence.

Q. “I baked some pumpkin pies over the weekend

to serve tomorrow on Thanksgiving. They’ve just

been sitting on the counter. Should I have

refrigerated them?”

A. Yes. Foods made with eggs and milk, such as pumpkin

pie, custard pie and cheesecake, must first be safely baked

to a minimum internal temperature of 160 °F. Then, they

must be refrigerated after baking. Eggs and milk have high

protein and moisture content and when these baked

products are left at room temperature, conditions are ripe

for bacteria to multiply. It’s not necessary to refrigerate

most other cakes, cookies or breads unless they have a

perishable filling or frosting.

Q. “I roasted my holiday turkey yesterday and put

it in the refrigerator. It isn’t stuffed so I thought it

was safe. Then my daughter said I shouldn’t have

refrigerated it whole. Is it safe to eat today?”

A. We do not recommend you refrigerate a cooked turkey

whole — it could take too long to cool down to a safe

temperature. For optimal safety, cut whole or large pieces

of poultry into small pieces. It’s okay to leave the

drumsticks, thighs and wings intact, if you prefer.

Refrigerate in covered shallow containers within 2 hours of

cooking. This is very important to ensure rapid, even

cooling and quick reheating.

Food Safety Questions?

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline Ask Karen!

FSIS’ automated response

system can provide food safety

information

24/7 and a

live chat

during

Hotline

hours.

If you have a question

about meat, poultry, or

egg products, call

the USDA Meat and

Poultry Hotline

toll free at

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The hotline is open

year-round

 Monday through Friday from

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET

(English or Spanish).

Recorded food safety

messages are available 24 hours a day.

Check out the

FSIS Web site at

www.fsis.usda.gov.

Send E-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.

AskKaren.gov

PregunteleaKaren.gov