Consumers shopping for turkeys this year will have no idea if their meat is coming from clean facilities or dirty facilities, according to the US nonprofit food-safety watchdog, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). The orgnaisation has heavily criticised the US department of agriculture (USDA) for all but abandoned a programme that requires the testing of whole turkeys for Salmonella-a leading cause of foodborne illness.

Indeed, the CSPI has called on US agriculture secretary Ann Veneman to restore the programme, and to increase the range of the test to include another bacterium, Campylobacter.

"Without government testing, turkey producers have less incentive to control dangerous hazards like Salmonella and Campylobacter, and consumers have less information on which to base their choices," said CSPI food safety director Caroline Smith DeWaal.

According to CSPI , children and senior citizens are especially vulnerable to foodborne illness from Salmonella. In order to reduce the risk of food poisoning, the organisation has issued a series of warnings and recommendations about how to best treat turkey meat.

"These turkey safety tips may seem elementary, but they're worth repeating, especially for the benefit of first-time turkey cooks," said DeWaal. "Believe it or not, we've been told that people have asked whether they can thaw their turkey with a hair dryer or cook it in the dishwasher."

Nonetheless the CSPI would like to see a comprehensive governmental programme of testing put in place. The organisation believes that the onus should be on meat processors to prove that their produce is compatable with acceptable safety standards. "Previous government testing has shown that some turkey plants can achieve a contamination rate of zero per cent," said DeWaal. "But because the USDA isn't testing, consumers can't seek out the best birds."