Cooking

Foods are properly cooked when they are heated for a long enough time and a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness.

The best way to make sure cooked food is safe is to:

• Use a clean thermometer which measures the internal temperature of cooked foods, to make sure meat, poultry, casseroles and other foods are cooked all the way through.
• Cook roasts and steaks to at least 145°F for 15 seconds. Whole poultry should be cooked to 165°F for doneness.
• Cook ground beef, where bacteria can spread during processing, to at least 155°F for 17 seconds. Information from the Centers for Disease Control link eating undercooked, pink ground beef with a higher risk of illness. If a thermometer is not available, do not eat ground beef that is still pink inside.
• Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm (145°F for 15 seconds). Avoid recipes where eggs remain raw or partially cooked.
• Fish should be cooked to 145°F for 15 seconds, be opaque and flake easily with a fork.
• When cooking in a microwave, make sure there are no cold spots in the food where bacteria can live. For best results, cover the food, stir and rotate it for even cooking. It should reach a temperature of 165°F throughout.
• Bring sauces, soups, and gravy to a boil when reheating.
• Heat leftovers to at least 165°F.

Chilling

Refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures keep harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. Your refrigerator should be set no higher than 40°F and the freezer should be at 0°F. Check the temperatures with an appliance thermometer.

Follow these steps:

• Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods and leftovers within two hours or sooner.
• Never defrost food at room temperature. Thaw food in the refrigerator, under cold running water or in the microwave. Marinate foods in the refrigerator.
• Divide large amounts of leftovers into small, shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator.
• Don't pack the refrigerator. Cool air must circulate to keep food safe.