Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature (2024)

FAQs

What is the lowest safe temperature for cooking? ›

Note: There are three important temperatures to remember when cooking meat or eggs at home: Eggs and all ground meats must be cooked to 160°F; poultry and fowl to 165°F; and fresh meat steaks, chops and roasts to 145°F.

Reheat Leftovers Safely

When reheating leftovers, be sure they reach 165° F as measured with a food thermometer. Reheat sauces, soups and gravies by bringing them to a rolling boil. Cover leftovers to reheat. This retains moisture and ensures that food will heat all the way through.

A food thermometer can be used to check food is cooked thoroughly, food should be 75°C or above in the thickest part. Some foods change colour when they are cooked so you can check this too.

The "Danger Zone" (40 °F-140 °F)

Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 ° and 140 °F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes.

The World Health Organization recommends keeping indoor temperatures between 64 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for healthy people. The minimum temperature should be kept above 68 degrees Fahrenheit to protect the very young, the elderly, or people with health problems. Watch out for signs of hypothermia.

Eggs for immediate service: cook to an internal temperature of 145˚F (63˚C) for fifteen seconds.

Information. It is not safe to cook any meat or poultry in an oven set lower than 325 °F.

Conventional Oven Method:

Cover the lasagna with foil and place in the oven. Cook the lasagna for about 20 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees (remove the foil if you wish to brown the top)

After cooking, all potentially hazardous foods must be held at a minimum 60°C / 140°F until service. All potentially hazardous foods must be reheated, within a 2 hour period, to at least their specified minimum internal cooking temperature. All poultry pieces must be reheated to at least 74°C / 165°F.

When cooking with a microwave oven, the Food Code requires that all potentially hazardous foods containing meat, poultry, fish, or eggs shall be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165ºF.

What is the 2 hour rule for food safety? ›

Remember the 2-Hour Rule: Discard any perishables left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, unless you're keeping it hot or cold. If the buffet is held in a place where the temperature is above 90 °F, the safe holding time is reduced to 1 hour. Watch the clock with leftovers, too!

Keep hot food hot—at or above 140 °F. Place cooked food in chafing dishes, preheated steam tables, warming trays, and/or slow cookers. Keep cold food cold—at or below 40 °F.

It is a myth that bacteria are killed at temperatures below 40 degrees. In fact, bacteria growth is slowed, but not stopped. The only way to kill bacteria by temperature is by cooking food at temperatures of 165 degrees or more. Bacteria also die in highly acidic environments like pickle juice.

It's important to keep perishable foods above 140°F or below 40°F (greater than 60°C or less than 4°C) to prevent the growth of harmful pathogens. The temperature danger zone is the temperature range of 40–140°F (4.4–60°C). Bacteria and pathogens thrive in this temperature range.

Correct Holding Temperature

Control bacteria growth by maintaining food temperatures outside the Temperature Danger Zone. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Hot foods should be kept at 135° F (57.2° C) or above.

Generally, when you cook, or specifically bake something at a lower temperature, you are essentially increasing the cooking time as well. The good thing about this method is you can cook the food more evenly, especially on the inside.