Cooking foods to prevent food poisoning
It is important to cook foods at a safe temperature to avoid food poisoning. The following illustration shows you safe temperatures for a number of foods.
Adapted from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (2006). Is It Done Yet? Available online: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/is_it_done_yet.
When cooking foods:
- Use a clean meat thermometer to determine whether meat, poultry, or egg dishes are cooked to a safe temperature. The illustration above shows specific safe temperatures.
- Bring sauces, gravies, and soups to a boil when reheating. Reheat other leftovers to at least 74°C (165°F).
- When using a microwave oven, cover the food container, and turn or stir the food to make sure it is heated evenly throughout. If the microwave does not have a turntable, rotate the dish by hand once or twice during cooking.
- Cook eggs until whites and yolks are firm.
- Do not eat raw or partially cooked eggs (including cookie dough), raw (unpasteurized) milk, cheeses made with raw milk, or unpasteurized juices.
- Do not eat undercooked hamburger, the main source of E. coli O157:H7 infection.
- Be aware of the risk of food poisoning from raw fish (including sushi), clams, and oysters. Cook fish and shellfish until it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- When eating out at a restaurant, make sure foods are thoroughly cooked and are served hot.
| Author: | Monica Rhodes | Last Updated: May 27, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Christine Hahn, MD - Epidemiology Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine | |
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