It’s Thanksgiving time again. You eagerly pull your beautiful plump turkey out of the fridge, ready to get cooking. But wait, what’s that? Those strange black dots speckled across the skin? A wave of panic sets in. Could your turkey be contaminated? Ruined? Inedible?
Here’s the good news – those black spots on your raw turkey skin are no cause for alarm. Let me break down exactly what they are, what causes them, and whether your thanksgiving centerpiece is still safe to eat.
What Are Those Black Spots on My Turkey?
The black, pinhead-sized spots that sometimes appear on raw turkey skin are benign pigmentation spots called blackhead. Despite the name, they have nothing to do with the blackheads or acne on our skin. Phew!
Blackhead spots are simply caused by a buildup of residual blood left behind on the skin and feathers after plucking. The blood reacts with the turkey skin tissue, oxidizes, and turns black.
I know it looks strange and kind of gross But it’s a totally natural result of the processing method. Rest assured these black spots pose zero threat in terms of food safety or health risks.
What Causes Blackhead Spots?
The underlying cause of blackhead spots lies with the parasite Histomonas meleagridis. This single-celled protozoan can infect turkeys and cause lesions in their liver and cecal tonsils.
While harmless to humans, the lesions bleed during plucking, leaving behind the pigmented blood dots.
So how do turkeys contract Histomonas in the first place? From the caecal worm, known scientifically as Heterakis gallinarum. The caecal worm harbors Histomonas, but does not actually spread the parasite itself.
Instead, caecal worm eggs are transmitted via earthworms ingesting the eggs, which can survive underground for up to 12 years. When turkeys eat infected earthworms, they become exposed to caecal worms, which opens the door for Histomonas.
As you can see, it’s quite the convoluted process. But essentially, blackhead spots stem from a parasite carried by a different parasite!
Should I Be Worried About Black Spots?
While the root causes may sound unappetizing, rest assured the blackhead spots themselves are completely harmless to humans if the turkey is cooked properly.
The parasites and worms living in turkeys cannot be transmitted to humans And the spots do not indicate meat spoilage or contamination
Both the USDA and food safety experts confirm black spots pose zero health risks. So there is no need to panic if you notice them on your holiday bird.
As long as you follow food safety guidelines such as proper storage times, temperature control, and thorough cooking, your Thanksgiving turkey will be perfectly safe to eat – black spots and all.
How to Prevent Black Spots on Turkey
If the appearance of black spots on your raw turkey really turns you off, there are ways to minimize them:
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Purchase Organic or Free-Range Turkey – Birds raised in less confined, crowded conditions have decreased parasite transmission risk.
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Rinse Under Cold Water – Washing your turkey gently under the faucet can help rinse away some of the visible surface spots.
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Dry Brine Instead – Brining adds moisture, but rinsing off the brine often aggravates black spots. A salt-based dry brine is a great alternative.
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Remove Skin – If appearance is your main concern, simply remove and discard the skin pre or post cooking. This eliminates visible spots.
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Cook Thoroughly – Proper thermal processing destroys any potentially lingering parasites, for full food safety.
Time to Relax and Enjoy Your Turkey
While no one wants blemishes on the star of their Thanksgiving table, black spots on turkey don’t have to spell disaster for your meal. Now that you know they’re harmless pigmentation caused by parasites specific to birds, you can breathe easy.
Give your turkey a rinse, lather it with butter and herbs, and pop it in the oven. Once cooked to a safe 165oF internal temperature, your family can carve up and enjoy a beautiful, delicious turkey – spots and all.
The only thing that matters is spending a lovely holiday together filled with family, food and gratitude. Don’t let a few speckles ruin your festivities. Just embrace them as a natural fact of life on a farm.
Here’s wishing you a very happy and care-free Thanksgiving meal. Now pass the gravy please!
Lifecycle and Signs of Disease
The lifecycle of the protozoa H. meleagridis is complex:
- As the bird eats, the protozoa grow in its cecum, which is part of its digestive tract.
- They move to the bird’s intestines where the roundworm H. gallinarum lives;.
- The roundworm eats the protozoa;
- The roundworm’s eggs become infected with the protozoa;
- The bird sheds the protozoal-infected roundworm eggs in its droppings.
Healthy birds get protozoa when they eat food, invertebrates (like earthworms), or bird droppings that have protozoa on them. Direct bird-to-bird transmission can also occur within a flock. Roundworms are often found in the intestines of chickens, partridges, and pheasants. This means that these birds can infect other birds with them.
Birds with blackhead disease are usually listless and have drooping wings, unkempt feathers, and yellow droppings. Typically, the cecum and liver of an infected bird will become inflamed and develop ulcers. Young birds become sick quickly and usually die within a few days after signs appear. The disease develops more slowly in older birds and they often become emaciated and may eventually die.
Turkeys are highly susceptible to blackhead disease. Once a turkey flock has been infected, 70 to 100% of the birds may die. In one survey, U. S. turkey industry professionals reported at least 50 outbreaks of the disease each year since 2009. 1 Blackhead disease is less severe in chickens but can lead to poor health and reduced egg production.
Histostat (nitarsone), an arsenic-based animal drug, was the only FDA-approved drug to prevent blackhead disease in poultry. But in 2015, the drug company stopped selling Histostat on its own and asked the FDA to take back its approval because of worries about the amount of inorganic arsenic in birds that were given the drug. Currently, there are no animal drugs approved to prevent, treat, or control blackhead disease in the U. S.
More Information on the withdrawal of Histostat (nitarsone):
What is FDA doing about the lack of approved drugs against blackhead disease in poultry?
The National Turkey Federation asked the FDA to say if treating blackhead disease in turkeys is a “minor use in a major species.” The FDA’s Office of Minor Use and Minor Species Animal Drug Development looked at information from the federation and other sources and decided that using a drug to keep flocks of turkeys with blackhead disease from dying is a minor use. Because of this evaluation, any drug company or other group that wants to get a new drug approved for this use in animals can get a lot of benefits, such as grants, user fee waivers, exclusive marketing rights, and the chance to get conditional approval.
BEST NATURAL TREATMENTS TOTHE DEADLY BLACKHEAD DISEASE IN TURKEYS AND CHICKENS
FAQ
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