WSU Thurston County

720 Sleater Kinney Rd

Lacey WA  98503

360-786-5445

360-455-1575 (fax)

Thurston County Extension

Food Safety: Holiday Foods

The Olympian, December 31, 1997

QUESTION: I cooked my turkey according to directions (the thigh was 180 degree F). When I sliced the breast, it was still pink near the bone. Is pink turkey safe to eat?

ANSWER: To many people, pink turkey is a sign of unsafe or underdone turkey. Cooking turkey using a meat thermometer to measure temperature is the best way to ensure a high-quality, safe product for your family. Sometimes chicken and turkey can have a pink color near the bone even when it has been cooked appropriately.

When turkey is cooking, gases in the stove react with a substance found naturally in the meat tissue to give poultry a pink tinge. Often young birds show the most pink because their thinner sins permit the oven gases to reach the flesh. You would need to heat the turkey to 212 degree F to lose its pink color. Because undercooked poultry can also appear pink, always use your meat thermometer.

QUESTION: I’ve noticed a pink-colored rim about ½ inch wide around the outside of grilled chicken. Is this safe to eat?

ANSWER: Poultry grilled or smoked outdoors can also look pink, even when well done, as can smoked turkey purchased from the supermarket.

Remember, the best way to be sure turkey or any meat is cooked safely and one is to use a meat thermometer.

For more safety information about meat, poultry and eggs, call the toll-free U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline at (800)535-4555. The line is staffed year-round by home economists, dietitians and food technologists from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. There is also an extensive selection of food safety recordings that can be heard 24 hours a day using a touch-tone phone.

CompuCook provides kiosks in more than 1,000 stores across the United States. While no stores in the Olympia or the Thurston County area currently provide the service, you may access their information base from your home computer or through your library at http/:www.compucook.com/.

CompuCook provides a number of recipes from best-selling cookbooks, manufacturers and direct from the CompuCook kitchens. Most of the recipes have been tested, and many of them have excellent food safety tips.

There are a number of recipe selection categories, including seasonal selections, recipes for kids, recipes for diabetics (including exchanges), one-dish meals, family favorites, and nutrition information on selected fruits, vegetables and recipes.

Additionally, there are many special categories incorporated into the site. One of my favorites areas is CuiZine. It’s filled with book reviews, short-cut recipes and menus, and interviews with culinary professionals.

This month’s interview focuses on the Reynolds Test Kitchen home economists. You may have seen Pat Schweitzer and Betty Thompson Morton on television commercials for Reynolds. It’s an interesting interview. Finally, a section of the Web site is devoted to reader’s recipes. But, if you choose to use these recipes, remember that they have not been tests for quality or for safety. Enjoy this Web site. It’s user-friendly,

Doris Torkelson (B. Susie Craig)

Area Faculty

WSU Cooperative Extension Thurston County

WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination.  Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension Office.   Cooperating agencies: Washington State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the county of Thurston.

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Last updated January 23, 2001