Bifalgorithm post · Human Nutrition · Efforts on the Consumer Level: What You Can Do
Cooking Serving
Cooking Serving (Human Nutrition · Efforts on the Consumer Level: What You Can Do) — "Cooked food is safe to eat only after it has been heated to an internal t…
Ideas in this flowchart
- Food safety depends on controlling cooking, holding, serving, and storage temperatures.
- Cooked food is safe only after its internal temperature is high enough to kill bacteria.
- Color and texture alone cannot reliably show whether food is cooked.
- Use a food thermometer to verify the internal temperature.
- The minimum safe cooking temperature depends on the type of food.
- Cook seafood to 145°F.
- Cook beef, lamb, and pork to 160°F.
- Cook ground chicken, turkey, and poultry breasts to 165°F.
- Cook whole poultry and poultry thighs to 180°F.
- When microwaving, rotate the dish and stir several times for even cooking.
- Bacterial growth becomes more likely as cooked food cools.
- Keep hot food above 140°F with a chafing dish, warming tray, or slow cooker.
- Keep cold foods at 40°F or lower.
- Keep serving food covered to block mold spores in the air.
- Use plastic wrap for moist foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and salads.
- Do not leave leftovers at room temperature for more than two hours.
- Refrigerate leftovers as promptly as possible.
- Date leftovers and use them within three to five refrigerated days.