Choosing an Allergen Free Turkey

Beware of the Thanksgiving turkey! What appears to be the safest dish on the menu for those with food allergies, commercial turkeys are often injected with a solution which may contain common allergens such as dairy, soy, wheat, and corn to make them tender. It is vital, as with all food products, to read the label carefully! For more information on how to read labels with food allergies click here.

What to look for on the label.

The first and probably most obvious thing to find on the label when choosing an allergen free turkey is what type of turkey it is. Stay away from basted or self-basted turkeys which are preprocessed. Unfortunately, these tend to be the most well-known commercial brands and of course the easiest to find.

The key word in finding an allergen free turkey is natural. By law anything labeled as natural must be "minimally processed" meaning they cannot contain additives. Thus a natural turkey should contain nothing but turkey and, perhaps, water. Notice I said "should". Again, always read the label!

What if Natural is not an option?

If a natural turkey is not an option for those of us with food allergies, another option is to  look for organic, free-range, ready-to-eat, or kosher on the label. Beware that these terms however do not have consistent meanings and may legally contain additives usually in the form of butter or "vegetable protein". Check the label carefully for the text "Injected with approximately ___% of a solution of ___,". Click here for USDA meat and poultry labeling terms.
  

Attending a gathering and not sure the turkey is safe?

Simple. Bring your own. Cook a natural turkey breast or thighs to take along and your guaranteed a safe and festive Thanksgiving dinner!