Avoid partially cooking food and then finishing it later, as this can promote bacterial growth. Bacteria are destroyed once food reaches a safe internal temperature.
Do not follow recipes that call for raw or undercooked eggs. Eggs should be cooked immediately after cracking. Whenever possible, use pasteurized eggs as a safer alternative for recipes that require raw eggs.
When baking, set the oven to at least 325 °F (162 °C) to ensure food is cooked properly. Always check the internal temperature of food using a thermometer in multiple spots to confirm it’s reached a safe level.
If using a convection oven, you can reduce the temperature by 25 °F. For more details, refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
| Description | Fahrenheit | Celsius |
|---|---|---|
| Eggs | cook until yolk and white firm | cook until yolk and white firm |
| Eggs dishes | 160 | 71 |
| Egg sauces, custards | 160 | 71 |
| Ground meat (Turkey, Chicken) | 165 | 71 |
| Ground meat (Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork) | 160 | 71 |
| Steaks, Roast and Chops (Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork) | 145 | 63 |
| Ham (Fresh, Raw) | 145 | 63 |
| Ham (Fully cooked, reheat) | 140 | 60 |
| Roast Beef (Cooked commercially, vacuum sealed) | 140 | 60 |
| Poultry (All products) | 165 | 74 |
| Stuffing (Cooked alone or in bird) | 165 | 74 |
| Sauces, Soups, Gravies, Marinades (used with raw meats) | bring to boil | bring to boil |
| Seafood (Fin fish) | cook until opaque and flakes easily with fork | cook until opaque and flakes easily with fork |
| Seafood (Shrimp, Lobster, Crab) | should turn red and flesh pearly opaque | should turn red and flesh pearly opaque |
| Seafood (Scallop) | should turn milky white or opaque or white | should turn milky white or opaque or white |
| Seafood (Clams, Mussels, Oysters) | cook until shells open | cook until shells open |
