Minimum Internal Cooking Temperatures and Food Safety Guidelines

Cooking Safety Standard: 165∘F (74∘C)165^\circ\text{F}\ (74^\circ\text{C}) for <1 second< 1\text{ second} (Instantaneous)

  • Poultry: Includes whole or ground chicken, turkey, or duck.

  • Stuffing: Stuffing made with fish, meat, or poultry.

  • Stuffed Items: Stuffed meat, seafood, poultry, or pasta.

  • Dishes with Previously Cooked TCS Ingredients: Dishes containing previously cooked Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) ingredients. Note that any raw ingredients added to these dishes must be cooked to their required minimum internal temperatures.

Cooking Safety Standard: 155∘F (68∘C)155^\circ\text{F}\ (68^\circ\text{C}) for 17 seconds17\text{ seconds}

  • Ground Meat: Ground beef, pork, and other meats.

  • Mechanically Tenderized Meat: Meat mechanically tenderized using needles or blades, or by injecting it with brine or flavors (for example, brined ham or flavor-injected roasts).

  • Vacuum-Tumbled Meat: Meat that has been vacuum-tumbled with marinades or other liquid solutions.

  • Commercially Raised Game Meat: Ground meat derived from commercially raised and inspected game animals.

  • Ratites: Mostly flightless birds with flat breastbones, including ostrich and emu.

  • Ground Seafood: Ground seafood, including chopped or minced seafood.

  • Shell Eggs: Shell eggs that will be hot held for service.

Cooking Safety Standard: 145∘F (63∘C)145^\circ\text{F}\ (63^\circ\text{C}) for 15 seconds15\text{ seconds}

  • Seafood: Includes fish, shellfish, and crustaceans.

  • Steaks and Chops: Steaks and chops of pork, beef, veal, and lamb.

  • Commercially Raised Game: Intact cuts of commercially raised game.

  • Shell Eggs: Shell eggs that will be served immediately.

Cooking Safety Standard: 145∘F (63∘C)145^\circ\text{F}\ (63^\circ\text{C}) for 4 minutes4\text{ minutes} and Alternate Roast Schedules

  • Standard Roast Requirement: Roasts of pork, beef, veal, and lamb cooked to 145∘F (63∘C)145^\circ\text{F}\ (63^\circ\text{C}) for 4 minutes4\text{ minutes}.

  • Alternate Roast Cooking Parameters: Roasts may be cooked to alternate time and temperature combinations depending on the specific type of roast and the oven utilized:

    • 130∘F (54∘C)130^\circ\text{F}\ (54^\circ\text{C}) for 112 minutes112\text{ minutes}

    • 131∘F (55∘C)131^\circ\text{F}\ (55^\circ\text{C}) for 89 minutes89\text{ minutes}

    • 133∘F (56∘C)133^\circ\text{F}\ (56^\circ\text{C}) for 56 minutes56\text{ minutes}

    • 135∘F (57∘C)135^\circ\text{F}\ (57^\circ\text{C}) for 36 minutes36\text{ minutes}

    • 136∘F (58∘C)136^\circ\text{F}\ (58^\circ\text{C}) for 28 minutes28\text{ minutes}

    • 138∘F (59∘C)138^\circ\text{F}\ (59^\circ\text{C}) for 18 minutes18\text{ minutes}

    • 140∘F (60∘C)140^\circ\text{F}\ (60^\circ\text{C}) for 12 minutes12\text{ minutes}

    • 142∘F (61∘C)142^\circ\text{F}\ (61^\circ\text{C}) for 8 minutes8\text{ minutes}

    • 144∘F (62∘C)144^\circ\text{F}\ (62^\circ\text{C}) for 5 minutes5\text{ minutes}

Cooking Safety Standard: 135∘F (57∘C)135^\circ\text{F}\ (57^\circ\text{C}) (No Minimum Time)

  • Plant-Based Foods for Hot Holding: Food derived from plants—including fruits, vegetables, grains (e.g., rice, pasta), and legumes (e.g., beans, refried beans)—that will be hot held for service.

Cooking Safety Standard: 175∘F (80∘C)175^\circ\text{F}\ (80^\circ\text{C}) for Tea Preparation

  • Automatic Equipment: For tea prepared in automatic iced tea and automatic coffee machine equipment, tea leaves must remain in contact with the water for a minimum of 1 minute1\text{ minute}.

  • Traditional Steeping: For tea prepared using the traditional steeping method, tea leaves must be exposed to the water for about 5 minutes5\text{ minutes}.