By Hollie W. Best
Gannett News Service

The holiday season is a time for festive meals and parties. As families and friends gather for holiday celebrations, it is especially important to remember food safety basics. Each year an estimated 80 million Americans suffer from food-borne illness. Whether you are having a small family dinner or a large buffet party how well do you know your food safety practices? Here is a quick true/false quiz developed by Research and Extension at Kansas State University.

1. Cooking a stuffed turkey is safer than cooking an unstuffed turkey.

False: Stuffing can help harmful bacteria survive and grow if the stuffing temperature does not reach 165 degrees. It is safer to cook stuffing in a separate container.

2. When sending a gift of perishable food by mail, make sure to keep the food cold or frozen in a foam or heavy cardboard box.

True: When sending cold or frozen food in the mail, use an insulated cooler or heavy corrugated box packed with frozen gel-pack or dry ice. Label the package "Perishable - Keep Refrigerated," ship the package by overnight delivery, and alert the recipient to arrange for a mutually agreeable delivery date. Perishable mail-order food should arrive frozen or cold to the touch. If you are in doubt, don't consume the food.

3. Pink turkey meat is safe to eat.

True: All turkey meat, including any that remains pink, is safe to eat as soon as all parts reach at least 160 degrees. When the temperature of the poultry (as measured in the thigh) has reached 180 degrees, there is usually no other site in the bird lower than the safe temperature of 160. Smoked turkey always will be pink.

4. For a holiday alternative, a beef roast can be served. Because it is a whole muscle, bacteria might still be inside the roast. Cook to 180 degrees.

False: Whole muscle meat does not harbor bacteria in the untouched center. It is safe to cook to medium rare (145 degrees) or medium (160 degrees).

5. The three safe thawing methods are the refrigerator, hot water, and the microwave.

False: The three safe methods for thawing are refrigerator, cold water and the microwave. To thaw a frozen turkey in its original wrapper in the refrigerator (40 degrees), allow approximately 24 hours per 5 pounds of turkey. You can submerge the turkey in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes defrosting time per pound of turkey. Check the manufacturer's instructions for the size turkey that will fit into your microwave oven, the minutes per pound, and the power level for thawing. Cook immediately after thawing.

6. Whole turkeys can be reheated intact.

False: Whole turkeys should be cut into smaller pieces for reheating. Refrigerate stuffing and turkey separately in shallow containers within two hours of cooking. Reheat thoroughly to a temperature of 165 degrees.

7. Large parties call for food buffets. It is safe to leave food set at room temperature for more than two hours.

False: Remember the two-hour rule! Foods should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. It is extremely important to keep hot foods hot (140 degrees or warmer) and cold foods cold (40 degrees or colder).

8. A frozen turkey will cook in the same amount of time as a thawed turkey.

False: It takes longer to cook a frozen turkey. Use the time recommended for the size of thawed turkey and add 50 percent more time.

9. Turkey can be cooked safely in brown paper bags.

False: Brown paper bags are not sanitary for cooking and can catch fire.

10. If giblets are left in the turkey in the paper wrapping during cooking, they are safe to eat.

True: If giblets are wrapped in paper and cooked in the turkey cavity, they are safe if all temperature rules are met. However, if they are wrapped in plastic in the turkey, giblets are not safe to eat if the plastic melts.