The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued a reminder to residents about essential food safety practices for the holiday season. The department emphasizes four key steps—clean, separate, cook, and chill—to help prevent foodborne illnesses during holiday meal preparations.
Troy Huffman, retail food program manager at the department, offered guidance on safe thawing practices: “Start with thawing food in the refrigerator. Place items on a tray or on the very bottom of the refrigerator to catch any juices that may leak from the packaging to avoid cross-contamination with other foods,” he said. Huffman also outlined how long it takes for different sizes of frozen turkeys to thaw in a refrigerator: “A turkey 4-12 pounds takes one to three days to thaw, 12-16 pounds takes three to four days, 16-20 pounds takes four to five days, and 20-24 pounds takes five to six days.”
The department detailed specific advice for each of the four recommended steps:
Clean: Hands should be washed regularly with soap and water during food preparation, especially after handling raw animal products. Food preparation surfaces should be cleaned often. Individuals who are unwell should not prepare or handle food.
Separate: Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs should be kept apart from other foods while shopping, storing in the fridge, or using cutting boards.
Chill: Foods containing meat, dairy, eggs, fish, or poultry should not remain at room temperature. Leftovers—including custard pies—should be refrigerated within two hours after cooking.
Cook: The department advises cooking stuffing separately from turkey. Turkey and stuffing should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit; ham should reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit before serving. Recipes with eggs need thorough cooking to at least 155 degrees Fahrenheit. A thermometer is recommended for checking temperatures by placing it in the thickest part of the food without touching bone or fat.
For additional information on safe turkey preparation and general holiday food safety guidelines, resources are available from national agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as well as Colorado State University Extension’s Food Smart Colorado program.
