Vast Majority of U.S. Adults Surveyed Days Before Thanksgiving Say They Trust Store-Bought Turkey to Be Free of Contaminants

WASHINGTON, D.C. ؚ— More than six out of 10 U.S. adults who took part in a Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine/Morning Consult survey this week say they wouldn’t eat turkey contaminated with feces, yet consumer research has shown more than half of store-bought packages of ground turkey tested positive for it.

The poll included 2,183 adults interviewed Nov. 18 to Nov. 20, 82% of whom said they plan to eat turkey for Thanksgiving this year. Of those, 87% said they trust it’ll be free from contaminants, but 65% said if they knew it was contaminated with fecal bacteria, they’d be unlikely to eat it.

In research conducted by Consumer Reports in 2013, more than half of store-bought packages of raw ground turkey meat and patties tested positive for bacteria that indicate fecal contamination. Although ground turkey was tested, whole turkey carcasses, like those purchased for Thanksgiving, can be contaminated with fecal bacteria when the birds are slaughtered. A Physicians Committee study of poultry in 2012 showed similar results. Half of the chicken products marketed by 22 national brands and sold in 15 grocery store chains in 10 major U.S. cities contained chicken feces, lab testing showed.

“While most people say they wouldn’t knowingly eat turkey contaminated with feces,” said Roxanne Becker, MBChB, DipIBLM, with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, “more than half the time, consumers may be unwittingly doing so. If that’s not enough to convince people to keep it off their plates, consider this: E. coli in meat has been linked to urinary tract infections. And while it’s sometimes promoted as a healthy source of protein, a single serving of turkey can contain up to 80 milligrams of cholesterol, a waxy substance that can clog arteries and lead to heart attack or stroke.”

Results of the new survey also show:

• Women, Gen Xers (born 1965-1980), and baby boomers (born 1946-1964) were the least likely to say they’d eat turkey if they knew it was contaminated.
• More than one in four respondents said they’re likely to have a family member or guest at their Thanksgiving table this year who follows a vegan diet.
• Gen Zers (born 1997-2012) and millennials (born 1981-1996) are more likely than Gen Xers and baby boomers to say they’d like to try a vegetarian or vegan alternative to turkey.

The Physicians Committee, a national nonprofit health advocacy group of more than 17,000 doctors, recommends consumers consider a fully plant-based and healthful Thanksgiving and get potentially contaminated turkey, in addition to cholesterol and saturated fat, off their plates.

“This holiday season, forgo the turkey,” Dr. Becker said, “and let vegetables take center stage.”

The Physicians Committee website is a free source of an abundance of healthful, plant-based Thanksgiving recipes, including dishes such as Vegan Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie, Zesty Cranberry Sauce, and Pumpkin Pie.

Note to reporters: To arrange an advance interview with Dr. Becker, please contact Kim Kilbride at 202-717-8665, kkilbride [at] pcrm.org (kkilbride[at]pcrm[dot]org).