Cooking Requirements for Specific Types of Foods
To reduce pathogens in food to safe levels, you should cook all food to its correct minimum internal temperature. The minimum internal temperature is different for each type of food. Once the minimum internal temperature is reached, you need to keep the food at temperature for a specific amount of time to kill any pathogens that may be present. While cooking reduces pathogens in food, it does not destroy spores or toxins they may have produced. Therefore, you must still handle food correctly before you cook it.
In 2017, the United Stated Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated the Food Code to reflect new research in food safety. Following these minimum internal temperatures when cooking the indicated foods will help to reduce the risk of foodborne illness at home.
165 degrees F for less than one second
Poultry – including whole or ground chicken, turkey, or duck
Stuffing made with fish, meat, or poultry
Stuffed meat, seafood, poultry, or pasta
155 degrees F for 17 seconds
Ground meat – including beef, pork, and other meat
Injected meat – including brined ham and flavor-injected roasts
Mechanically tenderized meat
Ground meat from game animals commercially raised and inspected
Ground seafood – including chopped or minced seafood
145 degrees F for 15 seconds
Seafood – including fish, shellfish, and crustaceans
Steaks and chops of pork, beef, veal, and lamb
Commercially raised game
145 degrees F for four minutes
Roast of pork, beef, veal, and lamb
135 degrees F
Foods from plants, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes
Reference:
Source: Dr. Sandra Bastin, RDN, LDN, Extension Professor, Food and Nutrition Specialist
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