1. Poultry Includes chicken (approximately 80%), turkey, pheasant, duck, geese, guinea fowl, squab and pigeons

2. Trends • Chicken consumption was 40 lb per person in 1970 and is 86 lb per person in 2005.

3. Composition • Similar to lean meats • Lower in fat and cholesterol than higher fat meats • Higher in niacin • Dark meat is a good source of riboflavin and thiamin • Goose and duck are higher in fat • Breast meat has shorter, more tender fibers that are less firmly bound together with connective tissue.

4. Market Forms • Can be purchased whole, in parts, skinned or deboned. • Parts: breast, thighs, legs, wings, restructured poultry • As convenience foods: microwave dinners, soups, stews • Most birds are young and tender when purchased • Need to look at cost per serving when purchasing poultry

5. Inspection • USDA is responsible for inspection at the Federal level • Poultry must be from a healthy flock and processed under specific and sanitary conditions • Monitoring is done for Salmonella • All plants must operate under a HACCP plan

6. Quality and Grading • Based on shape of bird, fleshing, distribution and amount of fat, freedom from pin feathers and skin and flesh blemishes • Grading is not mandatory • Most birds are Grade A quality

7. Characteristics of Age • Birds should be pliable with wings offering little resistance • Skin tissue tears easily • In young birds, sex differences do not characterize flavor • As age increases in male birds, flavor becomes inferior

8. Storage • Poultry is highly perishable and susceptible to Salmonella contamination • Salmonella thrive in moist, highly nutritive environment • Poultry should be frozen upon purchase or stored at 40 F or below • Limit storage to 3 days in refrigerator

9. Handling • The less handling the better • All surfaces touched by poultry should be cleaned and sanitized before using for other foods • Avoid wood cutting boards • Avoid cross-contamination of foods or utensils

10. Thawing • Thaw gradually in the refrigerator • 12-16 hours for four pounds • 4-9 hours for pieces • Sometimes frozen poultry will have dark red color after cooking. This usually occurs in young birds where the blood vessels of bone marrow breaks down causing red color after freezing and thawing

11. Cooking • Dry heat methods are used for young, tender birds • Moist heat methods are used for older, less tender birds • Most poultry is young and tender so dry methods can be used • Microwaving is not recommended for poultry because of uneven heating • All poultry should be cooked to the well done stage. Internal temperature of 165 F or 74 C for 15 sec

12. Stuffing a bird before roasting is not recommended • Stuffing must reach an internal temperature on 165 F to be safe • Breast meat tends to become dry before other parts are cooked. This is why basting is often done. Self-basting birds are injected with oil (usually palm or coconut). Oil is released during cooking to increase moistness