Cooking to Kill

ASK: Why do we cook foods?

ANSWER: We cook some foods to kill the bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. Other foods are cooked because they have better flavor or texture once they are cooked.

ASK: What foods require cooking to kill bacteria?

ANSWER: Meat, fish, eggs, and poultry all require cooking as a safety measure to kill the bacteria that can cause illness. This includes mixtures that contain these foods.

ASK: Do all the foods requiring cooking to kill bacteria have to be cooked to the same temperature?

ANSWER: No, different foods require cooking to different temperatures in order to kill all the harmful bacteria.

ASK: What foods must be cooked to 165°F?

ANSWER: Poultry, including chicken, turkey, and duck must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Also, stuffed meats, stuffed fish, stuffed pasta, and stuffed poultry or stuffing containing fish, meat, or poultry.

ASK: What foods must be cooked to 155°F?

ANSWER: Ground meat, injected or

mechanically tenderized

meat or fish, raw eggs

(unless they are broken and

prepared in response to a

consumer’s order and for

immediate service), and

ratites must be cooked to

an internal temperature of

155°F for 17 seconds.

ASK: What is a ratite?

ANSWER: A flightless bird such as a rhea, emu, or ostrich.

ASK: What foods must be cooked to 145°F for at least 15 seconds?

ANSWER: Meat and fish, including commercially raised game animals, must be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F for at least 15 seconds. Also, raw eggs broken and prepared in response to a consumer’s order and for immediate service must be cooked to 145°F for at least 15 seconds.

ASK: Does cooking in a microwave change the required cooking temperatures and times?

ANSWER: Yes, all raw animal foods cooked in a microwave oven must be:

(A) Rotated or stirred throughout or midway during cooking to compensate for uneven distribution of heat;

(B) Covered to retain surface moisture;

(C) Heated to a temperature of at least 165°F in all parts of the

food; and

(D) Allowed to stand covered for 2 minutes after cooking to obtain

temperature equilibrium.

ASK: What if someone wants their steak rare?

ANSWER: A raw or undercooked whole-muscle, intact beef steak may

be served if:

(1) The food establishment does not serve a highly susceptible

population (like a nursing home),

(2) The steak is prepared so that it remains intact, and

(3) The steak is cooked on both the top and bottom to a surface temperature of 145°F or above and a cooked color change is achieved on all external surfaces.

ASK: Can consumers request that raw or partially cooked animal foods such as soft cooked eggs, steak tartare, raw fish, or raw oysters be served to them?

ANSWER: Yes, provided that:

(1) The food establishment does not serve a highly susceptible population (like a

nursing home),

(2) The food, if offered from a children’s menu, does not include ground, chopped,

or minced meat.

(3) The consumer is provided with a disclosure that the food may be raw or undercooked and with a reminder that consuming raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase their risk of foodborne illness.

ASK: How can you be sure that a food product has been cooked to the proper temperature?

ANSWER: Use a food thermometer to take the temperature of the food at its center or thickest part to assure that the minimum cooking temperature has been reached.

Record the temperature reading in a temperature log like the one linked here.