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  • Food Safety
    • Recalls & Public Health Alerts
      • Report a Problem with Food
        • Additional Recalls
      • Annual Recall Summaries
        • Summary of Recall and PHA Cases in Calendar Year 2023
        • Summary of Recall and PHA Cases in Calendar Year 2022
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2021
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2020
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2019
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2018
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2017
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2016
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2015
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2014
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2013
        • Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2012
    • Food Safety Stats
      • Consumer Research
    • Foodborne Illness and Disease
      • Enfermedades Transmitidas Por Alimentos y Otras Enfermedades
      • Illnesses and Pathogens
        • Botulism
          • Clostridium botulinum y El Botulismo
        • Campylobacter
          • Campylobacter En Español
        • E. coli
        • Listeria
        • Parasites and Foodborne Illness
          • Parásitos y Enfermedades Transmitidas Por los Alimentos
        • Preguntas y Respuestas Sobre Listeria
        • Salmonella
          • Preguntas y Respuestas Sobre Salmonella
      • Resources for Public Health Partners
        • State Departments of Public Health
      • Outbreaks
        • Outbreak Investigations: Prevention
        • Outbreak Investigations: Response
    • Safe Food Handling and Preparation
      • Food Safety Basics
        • Additives in Meat and Poultry Products
        • Aditivos en Productos Cárnicos y Avícolas
        • Agua en Carnes y Aves
        • Ahumar Carnes y Aves
        • Air Fryers and Food Safety
        • Alergias Alimentarias: Los “9 Grandes”
        • Appliance Thermometers
        • Asar a la parrilla y seguridad alimentaria
        • Cleanliness Helps Prevent Foodborne Illness
        • Cocción Versus Seguridad
        • Cocinar en Hornos Microondas
        • Cooking for Groups
        • Cooking with Microwave Ovens
        • Cutting Boards
        • Cómo Encontrar el Número de Establecimiento del USDA (EST) en el Empaque de Alimentos
        • Cómo las Temperaturas Afectan a los Alimentos
        • Danger Zone 40F - 140F
        • Deep Fat Frying
        • Doneness Versus Safety
        • El Color de la Carne y Las Aves
        • El Gran Deshielo: Métodos Seguros para Descongelar
        • El Manejo Adecuado de los Alimentos Pedidos Por Correo
        • Entendiendo las Retiradas de Alimentos del Mercado del FSIS
        • Fechas en Productos Alimenticios
        • Food Allergies: The “Big 9”
        • Food Thermometers
        • Freidoras de Aire y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Freír en Grasa y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Glosario de Términos de Empaque
        • Glossary of Packaging Terms
        • Grilling Food Safely
        • Grilling and Food Safety
        • Guía del Consumidor Sobre Inocuidad Alimentaria: Tormentas y Huracanes Severos
        • High Altitude Cooking
        • Hongos en los Alimentos: ¿Son Peligrosos?
        • How Temperatures Affect Food
        • How to Find the USDA Establishment Number
        • Importación de Productos Cárnicos, Avícolas y Ovoproductos a Estados Unidos
        • Importing Meat, Poultry & Egg Products US
        • Irradiation and Food Safety FAQ
        • Keeping "Bag" Lunches Safe
        • Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency
        • La Cocción En Elevaciones Altas
        • La Congelación Y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • La Limpieza Ayuda a Prevenir Enfermedades Transmitidas Por Los Alimentos
        • Las Ollas de Cocción Lenta y la Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Las Sobras de Comida e Inocuidad Alimentaria
        • Lavado de Alimentos: ¿Promueve la Inocuidad Alimentaria?
        • Mail Order Food Safety
        • Manipulación Adecuada de Alimentos Para Llevar
        • Mantenga los Alimentos Seguros - Conceptos Básicos de Inocuidad Alimentaria
        • Manteniendo Seguros Los Almuerzos En "Bolsas"
        • Materiales de Empaque para Carnes y Aves
        • Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms
        • Meat and Poultry Packaging Materials
        • Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous?
        • Natural Flavors on Meat and Poultry Labels
        • Preguntas Frecuentes Sobre Irradiación y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Preguntas y Respuestas Sobre la Seguridad Alimentaria Durante un Tailgate
        • Sabores Naturales de Carnes y Aves en las Etiquetas
        • Safe Handling of Take-Out Foods
        • Seguridad Alimentaria Durante Caminatas, Campamentos y Paseos en Bote
        • Seguridad Alimentaria de Comida No Perecedera
        • Slow Cookers and Food Safety
        • Smoking Meat and Poultry
        • Tabla de Temperatura Interna Mínima Segura
        • Tablas de Cortar
        • Tailgating Food Safety Q & A
        • Termómetros para Alimentos
        • Termómetros para Electrodomésticos
        • Términos de Etiquetado de Carnes y Aves
        • Understanding FSIS Food Recalls
        • Voluntarios Sobre la Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Water in Meat & Poultry
        • Zona de Peligro (40 F - 140 F)
        • Food Product Dating
        • Freezing and Food Safety
        • Leftovers and Food Safety
        • Refrigeration
          • La Refrigeración y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Safe Temperature Chart
        • Shelf-Stable Food
        • The Big Thaw — Safe Defrosting Methods
        • The Color of Meat and Poultry
        • Washing Food: Does it Promote Food Safety?
        • Food Safety While Hiking, Camping & Boating
      • Meat & Catfish
        • Bacon and Food Safety
        • Bagre de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Beef From Farm To Table
        • Bison from Farm to Table
        • Bisonte de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Cabra de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Carne Seca y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Carne de Cerdo Fresca de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Carne de Res de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Carne de Ternera de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Carne de res ablandada mecánicamente
        • Carne en Conserva y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Catfish from Farm to Table
        • Color de la Carne Molida Cocida en Relación Con El Grado De Cocción
        • Color of Cooked Ground Beef as It Relates to Doneness
        • Conejo de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Cordero de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Corned Beef
        • Cuando se Asan “Otras” Carnes para las Fiestas
        • Door-to-Door Meat Sales
        • El Jamón y la Seguridad Alimentaria
        • El Tocino y la Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Fresh Pork from Farm to Table
        • Goat from Farm to Table
        • Ground Beef and Food Safety
        • Hams and Food Safety
        • Hot Dogs & Food Safety
        • Jerky
        • La Carne Molida y la Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Lamb From Farm to Table
        • Las Salchichas “hot dogs” y la Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Los Embutidos y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Mechanically Tenderized Beef
        • Rabbit From Farm to Table
        • Roasting Those "Other" Holiday Meats
        • Sausages and Food Safety
        • Veal from Farm to Table
        • Venta de Carne a Domicilio
        • Yersiniosis and Chitterlings Tips
        • Yersiniosis y los Chinchulines (Tripas): Consejos Para Protegerlo de Enfermedades Transmitidas Por Alimentos
      • Poultry
        • Happy Thanksgiving!
        • Amarras para las Aves y Otros Accesorios
        • Aves: Baños en Solución, Salmueras y Marinadas
        • Chicken From Farm to Table
        • Chicken Liver
        • Duck and Goose from Farm to Table
        • El Relleno y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Hablemos Sobre el Pavo: Una Guía Para el Consumidor Sobre Cómo Asar un Pavo de Forma Segura
        • Hock Locks and Other Accoutrements
        • Is Pink Turkey Meat Safe?
        • La Etiqueta del Ave Dice “Fresco”
        • La Preparación de Turduckens Requiere un Manejo Adecuado
        • Let's Talk Turkey Roasting
        • Pato y Ganso de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Pavo de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Pavo: Rutas Alternativas Hacia la Mesa
        • Pollo de la Granja a la Mesa
        • Poultry Processing: Questions & Answers
        • Poultry: Basting, Brining, and Marinating
        • Preparación Básica del Pavo: Cocinar De Forma Adecuada
        • Preparación Básica del Pavo: Como Descongelar Seguramente
        • Preparación Básica del Pavo: El Relleno
        • Preparación Básica del Pavo: Manejo de las Comidas Cocidas
        • Procesamiento de Aves: Preguntas y Respuestas
        • Stuffing and Food Safety
        • The Poultry Label Says "Fresh"
        • Turduckens Require Safe Food Handling
        • Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners
        • Turkey Basics: Safe Cooking
        • Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing
        • Turkey Basics: Stuffing
        • Turkey from Farm to Table
        • Turkey: Alternate Routes to the Table
        • ¿Es Segura la Carne de Pavo Rosada?
      • Eggs
        • Egg Products and Food Safety
        • Huevos en Cascarón De la Granja a la Mesa
        • Ovoproductos e Inocuidad Alimentaria
        • Shell Eggs from Farm to Table
      • Emergencies
        • A Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes
        • Eliminando Olores de Refrigeradores y Congeladores
        • Fires and Food Safety
        • Incendios y Seguridad Alimentaria
        • Keep Your Food Safe During Emergencies
        • Removing Odors from Refrigerators and Freezers
      • USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
      • Brochures & Publications
    • Food Defense and Emergency Response
      • Emergency Response
      • Continuity of Operations (COOP)
      • Food Defense
        • Risk Mitigation Tool
        • Food Defense Considerations for Transportation of FSIS-Regulated Products
        • Food Defense Tools, Resources and Training
        • Functional Food Defense Plans
        • International Food Defense
  • Science & Data
    • Research Priorities
      • FSIS/ORISE Food Safety Fellowship Program
        • Aaron Dudley
        • Lauren Lee
        • Sharon Nieves-Miranda
        • Yesutor Soku
        • Ali Strickland
    • Data Sets & Visualizations
      • Microbiology
        • Baseline Microbiology Data Reports
        • Microbiological Testing Program for RTE Meat and Poultry Products
          • Tables & Results Microbiological Testing Program for RTE Meat
          • Tables & Results: Microbiological Testing Program Pasteurized Egg Products
          • Aggregate Salmonella Categorization of Raw Chicken Parts, NRTE Comminuted Poultry, Young Chicken Carcass and Young Turkey Carcass Establishments Using Moving Windows
          • Salmonella Initiative Program Criteria
            • Quarterly Sampling Reports on Antimicrobial Resistance
            • Quarterly Sampling Reports on Raw Beef Products
            • Quarterly Sampling Reports on Ready-to-eat Products and Egg Products
            • Quarterly Sampling Reports on Salmonella
            • Salmonella Action Plan: A One and Two Year Update
        • Microbiological Testing Program for Escherichia coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)
          • Year-to-Date Totals: Testing of Raw Ground Beef Component (RGBC) Samples for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)
          • Annual Report for STEC in Raw Ground Beef or Veal and Raw Ground Beef or Veal Components
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2017
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2018
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2016
          • Individual E. coli Positive Results for Raw Ground Beef (RGB) and RGB Components 2015
          • Year-to-Date 2018 Totals: Results of Raw Ground Beef Component (RGBC) Samples for E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC):
        • Salmonella Verification Testing Program Monthly Posting
      • Chemical Residues and Contaminants
      • Humane Handling Data
      • Laboratory Sampling Data
        • Egg Product Testing, Years 1995-2017
      • Inspection Task Data
    • Developer Resources
      • Recall API
    • Scientific Reports
      • Public Health Regulations (PHR)
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2025
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2024
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2023
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2022
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2021
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2020
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2019
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2018
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2017
        • FSIS Data Analysis and Reporting: Public Health Regulations FY 2016
      • Interagency Food Safety Analytics Collaboration (IFSAC)
    • Laboratories & Procedures
      • Accredited Laboratory Program
        • Key Facts: ISO Accreditation
      • FSIS Laboratories
        • Requesting Bacterial Isolates from FSIS
    • Risk Assessments
    • Sampling Program
      • Raw Pork Products Exploratory Sampling Program
      • Sampling Results for FSIS Regulated Products
    • National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS)
    • Journal Publications
  • Policy
    • Food Safety Acts
      • Federal Meat Inspection Act
      • Poultry Products Inspection Act
      • Egg Products Inspection Act
      • Humane Methods of Slaughter Act
    • FSIS Guidelines
    • Directives & Notices
      • FSIS Notices
      • FSIS Directives
    • Petitions
    • Federal Register & Rulemaking
      • Federal Register Notices
      • Federal Register Rules
      • Executive Orders, Small Business Protection Laws & Other Guidance
      • Regulatory Priorities
    • Advisory Committees
      • National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI)
      • National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria For Foods (NACMCF)
        • 2023-2025 National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF)
        • 2021-2023 National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria For Foods (NACMCF)
        • NACMCF 2022 Subcommittee
        • 2018-2020 National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria For Foods (NACMCF)
    • FSIS Procurement
    • National Federal Financial Assistance
    • Regulatory Decisions & Non-Retaliation
  • Inspection
    • Inspection Programs
      • Inspection of Meat Products
        • Humane Handling Ombudsman
        • Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection
      • Inspection of Poultry Products
        • Reducing Salmonella in Poultry
          • Pilot Projects: Salmonella Control Strategies
          • Proposed Regulatory Framework to Reduce Salmonella Illnesses Attributable to Poultry
            • Component 1
            • Component 2
            • Component 3
          • Salmonella By the Numbers
          • Salmonella KPI
          • Salmonella Risk Assessments
        • Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection
      • Inspection of Egg Products
      • Inspection of Siluriformes
    • Compliance Guidance
      • Significant Guidance
      • HACCP
        • HACCP-Based-Inspection Models Project
          • New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS)
          • HIMP Redesign Achievement of Performance Standards Young Chicken Plants
          • List of HIMP Participating Plants
        • HACCP Validation
      • PHIS
        • PHIS: Historical Information
      • Retail Guidance
      • Small & Very Small Plant Guidance
        • Appealing Inspection Decisions
        • Food Safety Resources for Small and Very Small Plant Outreach: Order Form
        • Small Plant Help Desk
        • Small Plant Help Desk Form
      • Microbial Risk
        • Listeria Monocytogenes
        • Salmonella
        • Shiga Toxin-Producing E.Coli (STEC) and E. Coli O157:H7
        • Specified Risk Material
          • BSE Rules Being Strictly Enforced
            • BSE Workshops for Small & Very Small Plants
          • FSIS BSE Resources
      • Specified Risk Material Resources
      • Food Safety Assessments Tools
      • Recall Process
      • Sanitation Performance Standards Compliance Guide
      • Labeling
        • Basics of Labeling
        • Claims Guidance
        • Nonfood Compounds
          • Compounds Used for Construction and Repair in Federally Inspected Meat and Poultry Plants
          • Criteria Used by the Former Compounds and Packaging Branch for Evaluating Nonfood Compounds and Proprietary Substances
        • Ingredients Guidance
        • Label Submission and Approval System (LSAS)
          • Integration of Paper Label Applications into the Label Submission and Approval System (LSAS)
        • Labeling Policies
          • Human Food Made with Cultured Animal Cells
          • Regulations for Package Dating
          • Comprehensive List of Reasons for Label Modifications and Returns
        • Labeling Procedures
          • Information Required For Requesting a Temporary Approval
          • 10 Most Common Mistakes And How to Avoid Them
          • Label Submission Checklist
          • Labeling Situations That Can Not Have a Temporary Approval
          • Labeling and Establishment Responsibilities
          • Ten Most Commonly Asked Labeling Questions
          • Trans Fat Declarations in the Nutrition Facts Panel on Product Labeling
      • New Technology
        • Cooperative Agreements FY 2003
        • Cooperative Agreements FY 2004
        • Cooperative Agreements FY 2005
        • Food Safety Technologies FY 2003
        • Food Safety Technologies FY 2004
        • Food Safety Technologies FY 2005
        • NOL for Non-O157 STEC Test Methods
        • New Technology Information Table
      • Humane Handling
    • Import & Export
      • Import & Export Library
        • Eligible Foreign Establishments
        • Eligible U.S. Establishments by Country
          • Australia Eligible Establishments
          • Hong Kong Lamb Export Eligible Establishments
          • Hong Kong Pork Export Eligible Establishments
          • Hong Kong Poultry Export Eligible Establishments
          • Brazil Export Eligible Establishments
          • Egypt Export Eligible Establishments
          • Hong Kong Beef Export Eligible Establishments
          • Israel Export Eligible Establishments
          • Japan (Casings) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Japan (Cold Storage Facilities) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Mexico Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Beef) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Pork) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Poultry) Export Eligible Establishments
          • Russia (Prepared Products) Export Eligible Establishments
          • South Africa Eligible Establishments
      • Import Guidance
        • FSIS Import Procedures for Meat, Poultry & Egg Products
        • FSIS Import Reinspection
        • Sourcing Egg Products and Shell Eggs From Foreign Countries
      • Export Guidance
      • Equivalence
      • PHIS Components
      • International Reports
        • Foreign Audit Reports
        • Import and Export Data
    • Regulatory Enforcement
      • Humane Handling Enforcement
      • Quarterly Enforcement Reports
    • Inspection Training & Videos
      • Humane Interactive Knowledge Exchange (HIKE) Scenarios
      • Inspection & Mission Training
      • Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Videos
      • Regulatory Education Video Seminars
    • Apply for Grant of Inspection
      • Grants & Financial Options
    • State Inspection Programs
      • Cooperative Interstate Shipping Program
        • Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) Establishments
      • Guidance Documents for State and Local Agencies
      • States With and Without Inspection Programs
      • Reviews of State Programs
    • Establishments
      • FSIS Inspected Establishments
      • Meat, Poultry and Egg Product Inspection Directory
    • Inspection Forms
  • About FSIS
    • History
    • Leadership & Organizational Structure
    • Strategic Planning
      • FSIS Enterprise Governance Decision Making Process
    • Core Values
    • Food Safety & Agency Partners
      • Memoranda of Understanding (MOU)
    • Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
      • FSIS Adjudications
      • FSIS FOIA Reading Room
      • Frequently Requested Records
    • Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS)
  • Contact Us
    • FSIS Offices
      • Office of Food Safety (OFS)
      • Office of the Administrator (OA)
      • Office of Field Operations (OFO)
      • Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit (OIEA)
      • Office of Public Health Science (OPHS)
      • Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD)
      • Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)
      • Office of International Coordination (OIC)
      • Office of Employee Experience and Development (OEED)
      • Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)
      • Office of Management (OM)
      • Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education (OPACE)
      • Internal Affairs (IA)
      • Office of Planning Analysis Risk Management (OPARM)
      • Civil Rights Staff
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  • Careers
    • Apply for a Job
    • Job Opportunities
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      • Administrative Positions
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      • Professional Positions
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    • Who Works for Us
      • Stephanie Galvan Prioritizes Excellence in FSIS
      • Yolanda Kennedy-Edwards: Compassion and Continuous Improvement to Catapult Change
      • Arsalan “AJ” Jalisi Enhances Decision-Making and Engagement with Data Analytics
      • Archives
    • Hiring Paths
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      • Externships and Volunteer Opportunities
    • Federal Employee Benefits Summary
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    • Events & Meetings
      • Officials' Calendar of Meetings
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      • HPAI (H5N1) Information
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      • Exit Interview Guide
    • Agency Awards & Achievements
      • 2024 Under Secretary’s Awards and Administrator’s Awards for Excellence Ceremony
    • Employee News & Stories
      • FSIS Snapshots
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      • Submit Your Stories
      • Archives
        • ARCHIVE: Professional Development and Education Benefits as a Recruitment Tool
        • ARCHIVE: Improved PHIS Task Distributor Comes Online!
        • ARCHIVE: Reflections on a Changing Paradigm: World Veterinary Day
        • ARCHIVE: FSIS at Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Conference
        • ARCHIVE: The Power of Alternative Dispute Resolution Programs: Resolving Workplace Conflicts Efficiently
        • ARCHIVE: Third FSIS International Meat, Poultry and Egg Products Inspection Seminar Held in Santiago, Chile
        • ARCHIVE: Supervisors Make All the Difference!
        • ARCHIVE: National Preparedness Month — Workplace Violence: Active Shooter
        • ARCHIVE: National Preparedness Month - Cyber Security for Remote Work
        • ARCHIVE: National Preparedness Month: Occupant Emergency Planning
        • ARCHIVE: National Preparedness Month: Emergency Alerts
        • ARCHIVE: Managing Heat Risk in Hot Weather
        • ARCHIVE: New Netflix Show Features USDA and FSIS
        • ARCHIVE: Thank You for Your Public Service
        • ARCHIVE: World Veterinary Day — Recognizing the Resilience of FSIS Veterinarians
        • ARCHIVE: Two Hero Inspectors Provide Potentially Life-Saving CPR to a Plant Employee
        • ARCHIVE: Hero Inspector Saves a Life While on the Road
        • ARCHIVE: Administrative Professionals Day — Thank You
        • ARCHIVE: Chief Information Security Officer Marvin Lykes Recognized for Operational Excellence
        • ARCHIVE: Alameda District Awards Petaluma Circuit Inspectors Recognition Coins
        • ARCHIVE: Collaborating in the Caribbean — Bringing Awareness About African Swine Fever
        • ARCHIVE: Dearborn, Mich., Circuit Inspectors Receive Collaborative Coins
        • ARCHIVE: Don’t Invite Foodborne Illness to the Party
        • ARCHIVE: Inspection for Ritual Meat and Poultry Slaughter
        • ARCHIVE: Thanksgiving Message from Leadership
        • ARCHIVE: Make a Difference for You and Your Colleagues – Respond to FEVS by Dec. 3
        • ARCHIVE: Federal State Audit Staff Twice Honored for Supporting Military Staff
        • ARCHIVE: Veterans Day Messages from FSIS Leadership
        • ARCHIVE: Food Inspector Apprenticeship Programs for Veterans
        • ARCHIVE: Helping Today’s Inspectors Be Tomorrow’s Leaders with Tuition Reimbursement
        • ARCHIVE: National Preparedness Month – Home Go Kits & Pets
        • ARCHIVE: Modernizing Egg Inspection
        • ARCHIVE: FSIS Recognized Twice for 2020 Food Safety Education Efforts
        • ARCHIVE: Four Steps to Good Mental Health
        • ARCHIVE: Building Relationships at Work
        • ARCHIVE: Honoring the Dedicated Public Servants of FSIS
        • ARCHIVE: Remembering Their Sacrifice: Jean Hillery, Tom Quadros and Bill Shaline
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Food Safety and Inspection Service

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  • Food Safety
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      • Report a Problem with Food
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        • Summary of Recall and PHA Cases in Calendar Year 2023
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Turduckens Require Safe Food Handling

Turducken on a carving board

"Turduckens" – a layered poultry dish especially popular during the holidays – can be an exceptionally risky meal that requires safe food handling and thorough cooking to prevent foodborne illness. The turducken is a deboned stuffed chicken inside a deboned stuffed duck inside a deboned stuffed turkey. The name is comprised of syllables from the words "turkey," "duck," and "chicken." Usually the tip end of the turkey leg bones and the first two wing joints are left on the turkey so that after assembly, the finished product resembles a whole turkey.

Alternatively, the finished turducken can be a completely boneless roll with stuffing layered between each bird. Stuffings may include cornbread dressing, sausage stuffing, oyster dressing, alligator, crawfish and shrimp. To serve, the roasted turducken is sliced crosswise so that servings consist of all the layers.

The idea for this multilayered, deboned fowl came from Louisiana where thousands of them are commercially prepared yearly. Turduckens are prepared in other States as well, and consumers also debone poultry and assemble them in home kitchens.

Critical control points involved in handling this risky assemblage are many, especially if the dish is made by a consumer and not in a USDA-inspected plant. Safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage are essential to prevent foodborne illness. You can't see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness. In every step of food preparation, follow the four guidelines to keep food safe:

  • Clean – Wash hands and surfaces often.
  • Separate – Don't cross-contaminate.
  • Cook – Cook to proper temperatures.
  • Chill – Refrigerate promptly.

As when cooking any meat or poultry product, USDA strongly recommends using a food thermometer to ensure the turducken has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 F throughout the product. Here are specific recommendations from the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline for safely handling and cooking turduckens.

Safe Handling of Turducken Ingredients

  • When creating a turducken at home, bring the raw birds directly home from the store and refrigerate (40 F or below) immediately-within 2 hours (1 hour when the temperature is above 90 F).
  • Make sure the raw poultry is wrapped securely and place it on a plate or casserole dish to prevent cross-contamination, or raw juices getting onto ready-to-eat food.
  • Store the raw turkey, duck, and chicken no longer than 2 days before deboning, assembling and cooking.
  • If the turducken has been purchased through mail order, make sure it arrives frozen with a cold source in an insulated carton. Transfer it immediately to the freezer. If the turducken arrives warm, notify the company. Do not use the product.

Creating a Turducken

  • Before and after handling any raw meat or poultry, always wash hands in warm, soapy water for 20 seconds.
  • While handling and deboning the three birds, keep the raw poultry and their juices away from other food.
  • Make the stuffing immediately before assembling the turducken.
  • Make sure the birds and stuffing are not out of the refrigerator in the "Danger Zone" – between 40 and 140 F – more than 2 hours while assembling the turducken.
  • Pack the stuffing loosely, not too tightly, to promote efficient heat transfer during cooking.
  • After cutting raw poultry, wash cutting board, knife, and counter tops with hot, soapy water.
  • After washing, you may choose to sanitize cutting boards by using a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per 1 gallon of water.
  • Another good and easy way to wash the cutting board is to run it through the dishwasher after use. Non-porous acrylic, plastic, glass and solid wood boards can be washed in a dishwasher (laminated boards may crack and split).

Roasting the Turducken and Handling Leftovers

  • For home-prepared turducken, roast immediately after assembly.
  • Roast the turducken in an oven set no lower than 325 F.
  • When roasting a purchased USDA-inspected turducken, follow the package directions.
  • When roasting a purchased frozen turducken without package directions, cook from the frozen state in an oven set no lower than 325 F to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 F to ensure a safely cooked product.
  • Use a food thermometer to ensure that all layers of the turducken and stuffing reach a minimum safe internal temperature of 165 F. Check the temperature in several places in the birds and stuffings, including the center bird. For a boneless rolled turducken, the thermometer should be placed at the center of the thickest part of the turducken to determine the safe internal temperature.
  • Slice and serve the cooked turducken within 2 hours after cooking. If it is not intended to be served within 2 hours then slice and cut in smaller portions before putting it into the refrigerator to cool fast. A whole cooked turducken may not cool to a safe temperature within the time needed to prevent bacterial growth.
  • After slicing and serving the turducken, refrigerate any leftovers in a shallow container within 2 hours of cooking. Perishable food should not be left out more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour when the temperature is above 90 F).
  • It is not necessary to remove stuffing between layers of the birds because it is thin and cools quickly to a safe temperature.
  • Use the leftovers within 3 to 4 days after cooking or freeze for longer storage.

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Last Updated: Sep 12, 2024
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