THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 18, 1996 TAG: 9608180052
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: 24 lines
It's a grand old tradition that carries with it the promise of gastronomical delight.
But be careful: The Agriculture Department is warning against stuffing your Thanksgiving turkey.
``Improperly cooked stuffing can cause serious illness or even death,'' warned Bessie Berry, acting director of the agency's meat and poultry hot line.
The advice is based on a University of Georgia study of 126 turkeys to determine proper cooking times. Turkeys simply take less time to cook today than the turkeys of a few years ago. So the stuffing may not reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature needed to kill bacteria.
If you insist on stuffing the bird, the Agriculture Department says to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the center of the stuffing reaches 165 degrees. by CNB