School Kids And Salmonella: A Follow-Up

Last December, I mentioned a Salmonella outbreak that hit 14 students attending St. Benedict's School in Whitehaven, Scotland. It now seems that health authorities suspect a pre-Christmas turkey dinner might have been the source of the outbreak.

Nevertheless, according to the article which appeared in The News and Star on February 23rd, the source of the outbreak might never be confirmed. Health inspectors pronounced the school's kitchens to be "clean". The investigation is continuing, but the scent is growing colder by the day.

On reading this news article, I decided to check the UK Food Standards Agency web site for their advice on how to cook turkey safety. To my dismay, I discovered that their directions omit any mention of a meat thermometer. Here is what the Food Standards Agency says:

If you're checking a whole chicken or other bird, pierce the thickest part of the leg (between drumstick and thigh) with a clean knife or skewer until the juices run out. The juices shouldn't have any pink or red in them.

Perhaps the British "stiff upper lip" is a result of eating undercooked meat and poultry?