>>USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline on Frozen Turkey Consumption
(Undated) -- Some Virginians clean out the freezer to make room for holiday dishes only to find a forgotten turkey and wonder if it's still safe to eat. Rebecca Hughes with more.Preview: Wrap Script:
(sound offtop)Preview: Meredith Carothers with the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline says it's safe to keep your turkey in the freezer because food-borne illness bacteria don't grow there, but the quality might diminish depending on how long it's been frozen. She says the hotline's record for the longest a frozen turkey stayed in the freezer and was then eaten was five years.Preview: She says the consumer said the bird was still delicious. You can ask more questions by calling 888-M-P-Hotline or go online to ask dot usda dot gov. They will be available Thanksgiving day.
Additional Audio:
Virginia residents who find a forgotten frozen turkey when cleaning out the freezer in preparation for the holidays may wonder if it's safe to eat. Food Safety Expert Meredith Carothers says the hotline once heard from a consumer who found a frozen bird after five years in the deep freezer, and after the go-ahead from the the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline, cooked the turkey.Preview: She says food-borne illness bacteria don't grow in your freezer. You can ask more questions online to ask dot usda dot gov. They will be available Thanksgiving day.