A major message this Thanksgiving season from Fight Bac! Partnership for Food Safety Education in their Story of your Dinner Campaign is to re-educate us all to NOT WASH our turkeys. Washing poultry spreads germs.

Washing Turkey Spreads Germs!

Drexel University conducted the study. Its author, Jennifer Quinlan, explains why it doesn't pay: "It does not get rid of the bacteria, it doesn't kill the bacteria," Quinlan says. "However, there is a chance that it will splash that bacteria…all over your kitchen." This message is reinforced by Good Housekeeping and, if that’s not enough, the ultimate authority, the USDA. Those of us involved in food safety have been recruited to share it. So imagine my surprise, when researching sources for how best to check a turkey temp for my blog about “Oh No! The Health Department Inspector is coming to Thanksgiving Dinner,” I found instructions on rinsing turkey before brining it on the Butterball Turkey Talk Line. Now overall, this is an excellent resource. It has instructions on how to do things to a turkey that I’ve never even heard of doing. Spatchcocking, for example. But I have heard of brining, so imagine my surprise when I clicked on that “how to brine link” and instructions came up, recommending rinsing the turkey before brining it. Isn’t this like shampoo and conditioner? Wouldn’t rinsing the turkey create the same splash as washing?

Here’s what Happened Next

November 10

I e-mailed Butterball asking why they recommended this. Butterball makes it simple to contact them. You can call, text, chat or ask Alexa your turkey related inquiry.

November 11

Within 1 day, I received this response, saying they do not recommend rinsing:

November 12

Hmmm, but they do recommend rinsing. I went back to the site and double checked, then sent them my response to their response with a screenshot of the Turkey Talk Website’s “how to brine” page.

To their credit, Butterball responded promptly, again within 1 day. Admitting the error and committing to correct it. Hooray.

November 18

However, a week or so later, the rinse instructions are still live. Now, I know how difficult it it is to get things updated, especially for a large organization (I was employed by a massive one for 30 years) so I will give Butterball the benefit of the doubt that they will get to their to do list. And I will keep checking see how long it takes them to do so. Hopefully, by next Thanksgiving. meantime, whether you plan to brine, roast, deep fry, grill or spatchcock your turkey , any method that cooks it safely, there is no need to wash it first.

There’s still time... To not wash your turkey. But hopefully you have it defrosting by now. Allow 24 hours for every 4 pounds of turkey. Ours is 16 pounds, so it has been in the fridge since Sunday.

Listen to more holiday food safety tips on the Guess Who is Coming to (Thanksgiving) Dinner on the Secret Life of Dietitians Podcast.