Temperature Rules for Safe Cooking

Make sure you cook and keep foods at the correct temperature to ensure food safety. Bacteria can grow in foods between 41 °F and 135 °F. To keep foods out of this danger zone, keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Use a clean food thermometer and measure the internal temperature of cooked food to make sure meat, poultry, and egg dishes are cooked to the temperatures listed below. For more information on food safety, please visit www.isitdoneyet.gov

"Is it done yet?"

You can't tell by looking. Use a food thermometer to be sure.

USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures

Photograph of a steak with a thermometer in it.	Photograph of a salmon steak with a thermometer in it.	Photograph of a pork chop with a thermometer in it.	Photograph of a burger with a thermometer in it.	Photograph of a quiche with a thermometer in it.	Photograph of a whole turkey and a chicken breast with a thermometer in them.
Beef, Veal, Lamb Steaks & Roasts	Fish	Pork	Beef, Veal, Lamb Ground	Egg Dishes	Turkey, Chicken & Duck Whole, Pieces & Ground
145 °F	145 °F	160 °F	160 °F	160 °F	165 °F

www.IsItDoneYet.gov

_______________
™Keep the Beat is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

^®We Can! Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition, We Can!, and the We Can! logos are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).

Archived page, reproduced from a 2011 copy. It is reference material, not current guidance.