“Self basting,” “Natural,” “Hormone Free” What do all the claims on a turkey package mean? There are many things to be thankful for this time of year. Friends and family are near to us. The price of gas has plummeted.

One thing you shouldn’t be thankful about, however, is paying extra to purchase a turkey advertised as “hormone-free.” Why? Because 100 percent of turkeys for sale in America are growth-hormone free. Really – it’s true! Despite this fact, many retailers—some with gourmet reputations—advertise their birds with claims that they have “never contained added hormones or steroids.” In fact, it’s been illegal to treat poultry with growth hormones since the 1950s!

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which offers turkey shoppers a great deal of information about turkeys on its website, reports they get more questions on their hotline about turkey than anything else. If you have questions about ol’ Tom the Turkey, you’re not alone. Keep Our Food Safe will endeavor to keep you informed. (By the way, if you missed last week’s podcast on food safety at Thanksgiving, check it out.)

Here’s a common question this time of year: what exactly does “self basting” mean? Self-basting refers to a turkey that’s been injected with asolution made up of salt, MSG, broth, spices and/or butter to help keep the meat moist during roasting. The solution can be up to 3 percent of the bird’s weight. Turkeys that are “self basting” tend to be a little saltier and a little fattier.

Turkeys are also often sold as “organic” or “natural,” and there is a big difference between the two claims. There are no real standards as to what “natural” means, while organic is overseen by the USDA National Organic Standards Board.

As we’ve told you before, organic standards are lengthy. For example, organic poultry cannot be given antibiotics after the first day of their lives. While this might sound important for those who are concerned about antibiotics in the meat they eat, often the only mass application of antibiotics in conventional turkey production is on or before the first day of their lives. So in this regard, organic producers aren’t really doing much different from conventional producers. It’s also important to note that all food animals conventionally raised are not allowed to be sold for food until any drug treatment (including antibiotics) that the food animals have been given is allowed to naturally be metabolized and excreted. (This is known as the “withdrawal period”). The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service randomly tests turkey meat (and all other types of meat, for that matter) to ensure that the FDA established “withdrawal” period has successfully rendered the meat safe to eat. Any fears about antibiotics in conventionally raised birds are unfounded.

Other common turkey questions according to the USDA: What qualifies as a “fresh” turkey? It’s never been below 26 degrees. Is there any difference between hens or Toms? Tom is often bigger and he’s a male; the meat is the same. When is a turkey done and safe to eat? The magic number is 165 degrees on a thermometer inserted into the middle of the bird.

Hopefully, this information will help you be thankful for whatever turkey you wind up roasting or frying this year. At least you now know a bit more about what you’re eating.