TODAY   |  December 08, 2012

Don’t be like Martha Stewart: Protect against salmonella

Turns out even the domestic diva runs into some trouble in the kitchen every now and then. “Hygiene is of the utmost importance when handling raw meats and vegetables,” Martha Stewart told TODAY after a post-Thanksgiving salmonella scare. The illness can also hit after handling raw eggs, but does that mean sneaking a spoonful of raw cookie dough is out too? NBC’s Miguel Almaguer reports.

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This content comes from Closed Captioning that was broadcast along with this program.

>>> a bit of a scary thanksgiving perhaps for martha stewart , who got sick after handling raw turkeys before the holiday.

>> reporter: when martha stewart cooks, millions watch.

>> this is an heirloom turkey.

>> reporter: here on "today" on thanksgiving, she showed us how to handle a turkey. but just a short time later, the domestic diva had to see a doctor. stewart suffered from body aches, a bloated stomach and severe pain. flu-like symptoms that are also associated with salmonella poisoning. stewart tells "today," "everyone ate everything we made and no one else got sick. if it was salmonella, who knows where i got it." salmonella, a type of food poisoning , is contracted when someone touches contaminated food and doesn't wash his or her hands. the cdc says 4,000 americans get sick every year. though that number is believed to be much higher. stewart says she spent the holiday week handling several turkeys, and when the queen of the kitchen gets sick, it makes headlines.

>> the best way to prevent getting salmonella is to cook food adequately at a high temperature for a long enough period of time. make sure that the meat, if it's meat, is not red on the inside.

>> reporter: stewart says her illness hasn't been formally diagnosed, but as a precaution, she's taking medication, telling "today," "hygiene is of the utmost importance when handling raw meats and vegetables." sound advice, especially during the holidays and even if your table looks nothing like martha's.

>> we do want to update you, too. we spoke with martha stewart yesterday. she says she is feeling much better. we hope that that continues