Topic Contents

Food Safety: Cooking

Topic Overview

It is important to cook foods at a safe temperature to avoid
food poisoning. The following picture shows you
safe temperatures for a number of foods.

Adapted from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety
and Inspection Service (2011). Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures. Available
online: www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html.

When cooking foods:

Use a clean meat thermometer to determine whether
meat, poultry, or egg dishes are cooked to a safe temperature. The picture
above shows specific safe temperatures.

Bring sauces, gravies, and
soups to a boil when reheating. Reheat other leftovers to at least
165°F (74°C).

When
using a microwave oven, cover the food container, and turn or stir the food to
make sure it is heated evenly throughout. If the microwave does not have a
turntable, rotate the dish by hand once or twice during
cooking.

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