Safe Cooking Temperatures
Fact Sheet
All food products containing raw animal foods such as eggs, fish, meat, poultry or any combination of these items
must be sufficiently cooked until all potentially hazardous germs are destroyed. The minimum internal temperature
at which pathogens are destroyed depends upon the type of food being cooked. To ensure that the food products
being cooked are safe for human consumption, use the following chart to determine doneness. Remember to use a
food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the food before serving.
Food Item
Minimum
Temperature
Fruits and vegetables cooked for hot holding
130ºF
Beef and pork roasts, beef steaks, veal, lamb, and
commercially-raised game animals
145ºF
Eggs cooked for immediate service
145ºF
Fish and foods containing fish
145ºF
Pork, including ham, bacon and injected meats
145ºF
Eggs cooked for later service
155ºF
Ground or flaked meats, including hamburger, ground
pork, flaked fish, ground game animals, or sausage
155ºF
Poultry and poultry products, including stuffing, stuffed
meats, casseroles, and dishes combining raw and cooked
foods.
165ºF
Stuffed fish
165ºF
Microwave Cooking
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. In addition, these foods shall be cooked
according to the following standards:
1. Rotated or stirred throughout or midway during the cooking process to compensate for uneven distribution
of heat;
2. Covered to retain surface moisture;
3. Heated to an internal temperature of at least 165ºF in all parts of the food; and
4. Allowed to stand covered for two minutes after cooking to obtain temperature equilibrium.
Public Notice of Raw or Undercooked Foods
If a food establishment intents to sell raw or undercooked animal foods in a ready-to-eat form, the establishment
shall inform the consumer of the risks associated with eating these foods. The Conference for Food Protection
(CFP)