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THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Vice President
For Immediate Release
November 24, 1998
VICE PRESIDENT GORE LAUDS
USDA EMPLOYEE FOR "PLAIN LANGUAGE" REWRITE
Clearer Language Means Safer Thanksgiving Meals for Americans
Washington, DC -- Vice President Gore gave an Agriculture
Department (USDA) employee his monthly "Plain Language" award today for
rewriting a consumer information article on how to safely prepare a
turkey.
"With Americans nationwide preparing to consume 45 million turkeys
this Thanksgiving, today's recognition of clear, simple food safety
instruction is particularly important," the Vice President said.
Just in time for the holidays, Bessie Berry, Director of the Meat
and Poultry Hotline, put into plain language a consumer information
article on USDA's website on how to safely cook and stuff a turkey.
The information, also available to USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
callers, will help thousands of Americans this season avoid bacterial
illness due to undercooking. The rewritten article makes clearer the
steps and temperatures needed to prepare a stuffed turkey.
Today's "No Gobbledygook Award" builds on President Clinton's June
1st Executive Memorandum that directed all executive departments and
agencies to: (1) write any new document that tells the public how to get
a benefit or comply with a requirement in plain language by October 1,
1998; (2) write all new government regulations in plain language by
January 1, 1999; and (3) revise all existing letters and notices into
plain language by 2002.
With regard to today's announcement, the following is an excerpt of
the article both before and after it was re-written:
BEFORE
TURKEY BASICS: STUFFING Thermometer Essential When Stuffing a Turkey
If stuffing a turkey, use a meat thermometer. Cooking a home-stuffed
turkey can be somewhat riskier than cooking one not stuffed. Bacteria
can survive in stuffing which has not reached the safe temperature of
165 F, possibly resulting in a foodborne illness. Even if the turkey
itself has reached the proper internal temperature of 180 F in the
innermost part of the thigh, the stuffing may not have reached a
temperature in all parts of the stuffing sufficient to destroy
foodborne bacteria. If stuffing does not reach 165 F when the turkey
itself is done to 180 F, further cooking will be required. During the
added cooking necessary to bring the stuffing up to a safe temperature,
the meat may become overcooked.
AFTER
TURKEY BASICS: STUFFING Make sure you cook both your turkey and your
stuffing completely. If you don't, bacteria that can make you sick may
still be alive. Here are the most important things to remember about
stuffing:
Cook the stuffing separately -- it's MUCH safer!
If you absolutely have to cook the stuffing in the turkey,
use a thermometer to make sure the stuffing reaches a
temperature of 165 F and the turkey reaches a temperature
of 180 F in the innermost part of the thigh. Measure the
temperature of both the turkey and stuffing! Don't just
trust a pop-up indicator!
Related Resources or Stories
- 6/1/98 Memorandum on Plain English in Government Writing
- Plain Language Action Network
- Federal Communicators Network and Plain Language Action Network Workshop Internet Resources
- OSHA's Marthe Kent Gets the First Plain Language Award
-
Vice President Gore Presents Second Plain Language Award
-
Vice President Gore Presents Third Plain Language Award to GSA Employees
-
Vice President Gore Presents Fourth Plain Language Award to HUD Employees
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