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How can you reduce the risk of getting sick from bacteria in food? Cook food to a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria! You can't just look at food to tell if it is safely cooked, so use a food thermometer. Cook foods to these safe temperatures:
(Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the food—away from bone, fat, and gristle.)
Food |
°F |
Ground beef, pork, veal, lamb |
160 |
Ground turkey, chicken |
165 |
Fresh beef, veal, lamb—medium rare |
145 |
Fresh beef, veal, lamb—medium |
160 |
Fresh beef, veal, lamb—well done |
170 |
Poultry |
165 |
Fresh pork—medium |
160 |
Fresh pork—well done |
170 |
Ham—fresh, raw |
160 |
Ham—pre-cooked (to reheat) |
140 |
Eggs |
cook until white & yolk are firm |
Egg dishes |
160 |
Fish |
cook until opaque & flakes easily with a fork |
Leftovers, stuffing, casseroles |
165 |
La versión en español de este documento es Cuidado de Alimentos:¡Cocine a la Temperatura Adecuada! (FCS8633-Span).This document is FCS8633, one in a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, IFAS, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. First published: February 2000. Revised: August 2006. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
Jennifer Hillan, MSH, RD, LD/N, ENAFS nutrition educator, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.
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Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy,
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