I Ate Raw Turkey – Now What Should I Do?

When it comes to cooking meat from a food safety perspective, achieving the right level of “doneness” is crucial. But even with the best intentions, mistakes can and do happen, among them the accidental ingestion of raw or undercooked meat. In this case, remain calm and take immediate steps to mitigate possible health risks. First and foremost, wash your hands thoroughly after consuming raw meat to avoid potentially spreading pathogens to others.

As for your personal health, keep in mind that it can take some time for food poisoning symptoms to appear. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can take as long as three weeks to present, but most people fall ill within one to three days. (If that happens, its strongly recommended that you contact a medical professional to discuss your symptoms.)

Youll also need to provide information on the type of raw meat youve eaten, as different types of meat can harbor different pathogens, bacteria, and other contaminants. In the event symptoms are mild, however, there are helpful steps you can take at home to alleviate any ill effects you experience.

Consuming raw or undercooked poultry can be an unsettling experience. If you’ve accidentally eaten some raw turkey you may be wondering what to do next and how to reduce your risk of foodborne illness. Don’t panic – here is a comprehensive guide on what to expect if you’ve eaten raw turkey and the steps you should take.

Understanding the Risks

Raw and undercooked turkey may contain harmful bacteria including salmonella campylobacter and E. coli. These pathogens can lead to foodborne illnesses if ingested. Common symptoms include

Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
Abdominal cramps and pain
Fever and chills
Dehydration

For most people, food poisoning from turkey will resolve on its own within 3-7 days But certain groups are at higher risk of complications

Older adults
Pregnant women
Young children
Those with compromised immune systems

In rare cases, severe dehydration or kidney failure is possible. Seek medical care immediately if symptoms are severe or persistent.

What To Do Right After Eating Raw Turkey

If you’ve just consumed some undercooked turkey, take these immediate steps:

Wash hands – Thoroughly wash hands with soap and warm water after handling to avoid spreading bacteria.
Assess amount eaten – The more raw turkey consumed, the higher the risk. Even a small bite warrants caution.
Isolate leftovers – Discard any remaining raw turkey to avoid accidental consumption by others.
Monitor time – Note when the turkey was eaten. Symptoms typically appear 8-48 hours after exposure.
Document symptoms – Track any symptoms that develop over the next 1-3 days.

Being proactive right away helps identify onset of illness and determine if medical care is needed.

How to Reduce Food Poisoning Risk

Once it’s in your system, focus on reducing the likelihood of a severe reaction:

Replenish fluids – Drink plenty of water, broth, or electrolyte beverages like sports drinks. Preventing dehydration is key.
Rest – Allow your body to direct energy towards fighting infection. Get lots of rest until symptoms subside.
Eat bland foods – Stick to BRAT diet – bananas, rice, applesauce, toast. Avoid dairy, spices, oils.
Take OTC meds – Over-the-counter anti-diarrheals, anti-nausea meds and probiotics can provide symptom relief.
Seek medical care – If symptoms don’t improve in 24-48 hours or worsen, call your doctor. Infants, elderly and immunocompromised individuals should seek care immediately.

When to Seek Emergency Care

In a minority of cases, food poisoning from raw turkey can become life-threatening. Seek emergency medical care if you experience:

Blood in stool or vomit
Inability to keep liquids down for 8+ hours
High fever over 101°F
Signs of dehydration – extreme thirst, dark urine, little urination
Neurological symptoms like blurred vision or muscle weakness

These can indicate a severe infection or complications that require prompt medical intervention. Don’t try to wait it out at home if any of the above symptoms develop.

Understanding Long-Term Risks

For most healthy individuals, the effects of food poisoning will subside within a week. However, certain pathogens like salmonella may linger:

Bacteria in stool – Salmonella can be present for several weeks after symptoms end. Practice good hygiene to avoid spread.
Joint pain – Some cases of salmonella cause reactive arthritis that can last months or years.
Chronic illness – Those with compromised immunity may develop chronic reactive complications.
Pregnancy risks – Bacteria passed to a fetus can lead to premature birth, stillbirth, or birth defects.

So while food poisoning often resolves quickly, certain risks can extend beyond the initial illness. See your doctor if any long-term issues develop.

Can I Take Steps to Prevent Infection?

Once the raw turkey is consumed, the best approach is damage control. However, there are a few things that may help reduce your odds of falling ill:

Stomach acid – Take apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to increase acidity and kill pathogens. This is unproven but anecdotally beneficial.
Probiotics – Load up on probiotic foods and yogurt to potentially “crowd out” bad bacteria.
Foods high in vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium – These nutrients support immune response.
Colloidal silver – Has antimicrobial properties but can also kill good gut bacteria.
Activated charcoal – May reduce toxin absorption in the gut. Take 2 hours after exposure.

While none of these are guaranteed preventatives, they could potentially help minimize your symptoms. Continue monitoring your health regardless.

Can I Eat the Leftover Turkey?

Any remaining raw turkey should be thrown away after possible contamination. But what if you have leftover fully-cooked turkey that touched the undercooked portions? It’s best not to risk eating any turkey from that batch. However, if the cooked turkey maintained a safe temperature and did not mix with raw juices, it may be safe if thoroughly reheated to 165°F. When in doubt, throw it out. Don’t risk re-exposure.

How to Prevent This in the Future

This experience may have you rethinking your approach to handling raw poultry. Here are some food safety tips to avoid eating raw turkey again:

Use a food thermometer – cook turkey to an internal temp of 165°F.
Avoid cross-contamination – use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw turkey.
Wash hands and surfaces thoroughly after handling raw turkey.
Refrigerate promptly – Freeze or refrigerate raw turkey right away.
Thaw safely – Thaw turkey in the fridge, cold water, or microwave only.
Marinate properly – only marinate fully cooked turkey, not raw.

Following food safety guidelines can help provide peace of mind when preparing turkey in the future.

What I Learned From This Experience

Dealing with the aftermath of eating raw turkey can be unpleasant and disconcerting. However, it provides an important reminder to treat food safety with diligence when handling raw meat. If you’ve accidentally consumed undercooked turkey, take steps to mitigate risk of foodborne illness, monitor your health carefully, and see a medical professional if symptoms develop or don’t improve. While an uncomfortable experience, it’s one you can certainly learn from.

i ate raw turkey what do i do

How to decrease the severity of foodborne illness

i ate raw turkey what do i do

As explained by the Mayo Clinic, you can usually treat mild cases of food poisoning on your own using home remedies. Because symptoms like vomiting increase your risk of dehydration, you must drink plenty of fluids. Beverages containing electrolytes, such as sports drinks, are best for warding off dehydration, as they help the body maintain the proper fluid balance, while also supporting essential functions.

Over-the-counter medications are also beneficial when dealing with minor foodborne illnesses caused by raw meat. This includes antidiarrheals and medications designed to reduce nausea. Medical News Today explains that activated charcoal may also be beneficial when dealing with the effects of foodborne illness, but it comes with caveats — theres limited evidence that it can relieve diarrhea to prevent dehydration when battling food poisoning. Its also best to consult with your primary care physician before taking over-the-counter medications to make certain theyre right for you.

While home remedies are effective, preventing foodborne illness is equally crucial, if not more so. Thats why all home chefs must have a trusty meat thermometer and know how to use it.

What Happens If You Only Eat Raw Meat?

FAQ

What happens if you accidentally eat raw turkey?

“Some of the ‘juices’ from the raw meat may potentially cause food-borne illnesses or other bacterial issues.” Salmonella certainly isn’t the only concern. All kinds of pestilence writhes within raw turkey meat, and safe preparation isn’t just a good idea — it’s a must to keep everyone at the Thanksgiving table safe.

How long after eating undercooked turkey would you be sick?

Salmonella infection is usually caused by eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry, and eggs or egg products or by drinking unpasteurized milk. The incubation period — the time between exposure and illness — can be 6 hours to 6 days. Often, people who have salmonella infection think they have the stomach flu.

What to do if you accidentally ate raw meat?

Raw meat can carry bacteria which cause food poisoning and, accordingly, eating undercooked pork or chicken may result in food poisoning. If you experience symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhea, and fever after eating undercooked meat, seek a diagnosis from a medical institution immediately.

How to prevent food poisoning from consuming raw turkey?

The best way to prevent food poisoning from consuming raw or undercooked turkey is by practicing safe food handling and cooking practices. Ensure that all poultry is cooked thoroughly before consumption and avoid cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards and utensils for raw poultry.

Can one eat turkey sandwich with diarrhea?

Ideally, you should avoid processed and very fatty foods, such as ready-made sauces, fried foods and sausages, as well as foods that can cause the production of gases. During diarrhea it is important to prioritize easily digestible foods, lean meats, such as chicken and fish; and peeled fruits, which will help with digestion, control the volume of bowel movements and relieve stomach pain.

What if I accidentally ate raw or undercooked Turkey?

If you accidentally ate raw or undercooked turkey, there are some steps you should follow: If possible, remove any remaining pieces of uncooked meat from your mouth. Rinse your mouth with water. If you experience any symptoms such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea within a few hours after consuming the meat, seek medical attention immediately.

What happens if you eat raw turkey?

Eating raw or undercooked turkey can lead to food poisoning as it may contain harmful bacteria such as Salmonella or Campylobacter. If you suspect that you have eaten raw turkey, take the following steps: 1. Don’t Panic It’s common to feel anxious or worried about your health after consuming raw turkey, but try not to panic.