Ahead of Thanksgiving, Here are Turkey Preparation Safety Tips, and Food Recalls

Preparing the Turkey Safely

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), it is estimated that over 46 million turkeys are consumed on Thanksgiving Day.

With individuals rushing around to get all the poultry and sides prepared and served, cooking mistakes can be made and guests can fall ill. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the majority of poultry-associated food-borne disease outbreaks in the United States stem from mistakes made when handling and preparing food or inadequate cooking.

One study reviewed outbreaks that were reported to the United States’ Food-borne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System between 1998 and 2012, and out of 1114 outbreaks, 279 were associated with poultry—accounting for “the highest number of outbreaks, illnesses, and hospitalizations.”

Luckily, we’ve compiled a few tips that will help keep the holiday bacteria-free.

To learn more safety strategies, check out our article here.

Ice Cream Recall

The FDA announced this past Saturday there has a voluntary recall of ice cream from Wilcox Ice Cream of East Arlington, VT. The company is recalling all flavors of Wilcox brand ice cream, yogurt, and ice cream bars, as well as Leonardo’s brand gelato after being notified by the Vermont Department of Agriculture on 11/14/23 that one lot of the Super Premium Mint Chip manufactured that day may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Products were distributed in retail stores and Co-Ops located in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York.

It was also added that along with that flavor, the company was recalling all other products manufactured at their facility during the same time period.

To learn more about this recall, go here.

Ground Beef Recall

Skyline Provisions is recalling approximately 5620 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with a foreign object, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced earlier this week.

The raw ground beef items were produced and packed on Aug. 19, 2023. The following products are subject to recall [view labels]:

• 20-lb. carton boxes containing four packages of “SKYLINE PROVISIONS, INC. GROUND BEEF 81/19” with “ITEM # 000248” printed on the label.
• 20-lb. carton boxes containing four packages of “SKYLINE PROVISIONS, INC. GROUND BEEF 75/25” with “ITEM # 000293” printed on the label.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 19300” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to institutions in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

To learn more, go here.

Peaches, Plums, and Nectarines Recall

Last Friday, the FDA announced the HMC Group Marketing, Inc., which does business as HMC Farms, is voluntarily recalling peaches, plums and nectarines sold in retail stores between May 1 and November 15, 2022 and between May 1 and November 15, 2023. The fruit is being recalled because it has the potential to be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.

The recalled fruit was distributed nationwide and sold at retail stores as individual pieces of fruit bearing PLU stickers (see photos) or in consumer packaging (also shown in the attached photos) AND sold at retail between May 1 and November 15, 2022 and between May 1 and November 15, 2023.

To learn more about the recall, go here.