A frozen, 14 pound turkey was thawed in the refrigerator for 5 days. Even after five days it was rinsed it out and put it in the oven, and the cavity containing the neck still had chunks of ice in it. However, now that it is cooking, it has an unusual sweet/sour smell. Is it possible that it has spoiled? Is there some way to be sure that the turkey is safe to eat after cooking it? The turkey came with a pop-up timer to indicate doneness. What can I do to insure that it has cooked thoroughly and is safe to eat?

You can find additional information about cooking and determining doneness from a USDA publication titled "Let¡¯sTalk Turkey" at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Lets_Talk_Turkey.pdf/. Their recommendation for determining doneness are: A whole turkey should be cooked to 165°F. To check for doneness, insert a food thermometer in the thickest part of the inner thigh without touching the bone. A turkey breast should be cooked to 165°F. Insert a food thermometer in the thickest part of the breast to check for doneness. If your turkey has a pop-up temperature indicator, it is recommended that you also check the internal temperature of the turkey and center of the stuffing with a food thermomete165°F for stuffing and 165°F for whole turkeys. The turkey should not have spoiled during the thawing process. The USDA states a 14 pound turkey should only take 3 to 4 days to defrost in a 40°F refrigerator. Perhaps the refrigerator is set below 40°F, and should be double-checked with a thermometer.