6.2 Cooking Food to Safe Temperatures

This is the most heavily tested section on the ServSafe Manager exam. Approximately 15-20% of exam questions focus on minimum internal cooking temperatures.

Cooking food to the correct internal temperature is the only way to kill harmful pathogens. Visual cues (color, texture, steam) are NOT reliable indicators that food has reached a safe temperature.

Critical Rule: Always use a properly calibrated food thermometer to check internal temperatures. NEVER rely on appearance alone.

The Four Temperature Tiers (MUST MEMORIZE!)

The FDA Food Code establishes four critical temperature tiers based on the type of food and risk level. You MUST know these cold.

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🔴 165°F for 15 seconds - Highest Risk Foods

The foods in this category pose the highest risk for foodborne illness and require the highest cooking temperature:

Poultry (All Types):

• Whole or ground chicken
• Whole or ground turkey
• Duck, goose, Cornish hen
• Stuffing made with poultry

Stuffed Foods:

• Stuffed meat (pork chops stuffed with cheese)
• Stuffed pasta (stuffed shells, manicotti)
• Stuffed fish
• Any food that combines raw ingredients that require different cooking temperatures

Combination Dishes:

• Casseroles containing previously cooked TCS ingredients
• Pasta dishes with meat and cream sauce
• Chicken pot pie

Reheated TCS Foods (For Hot Holding):

• Any TCS food being reheated for hot holding must reach 165°F for 15 seconds
• This includes previously cooked soups, gravies, and leftovers

Microwave Cooking:

• ALL meat, poultry, fish, and eggs cooked in a microwave must reach 165°F
• Let stand for 2 minutes after cooking to allow for even heat distribution

Why 165°F? This temperature instantly kills pathogens including Salmonella, Campylobacter, and harmful strains of E. coli. Poultry has a high risk of contamination throughout the meat (not just the surface), requiring higher heat.

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🟠 155°F for 15 seconds - Ground Meats & Eggs for Hot Holding

This tier includes ground products and specific egg preparations:

Ground Meats:

• Ground beef, pork, or lamb
• Ground fish or seafood (fish cakes, crab cakes)
• Any meat that has been ground or mechanically tenderized

Injected Meats:

• Brined ham
• Flavor-injected roasts (garlic-injected pork loin)
• Any meat injected with solutions

Mechanically Tenderized Meats:

• Meat tenderized by needling or pounding
• Cube steak

Eggs for Hot Holding:

• Scrambled eggs held on buffet
• Eggs for omelets held for service
• Pooled eggs held before cooking

Ratites:

• Ostrich and emu
• Less common but require same temperature as ground meat

Why 155°F? Grinding meat spreads bacteria from the surface throughout the product. Injecting or tenderizing can push surface bacteria deep into the meat. This temperature ensures destruction of pathogens throughout.

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🟡 145°F for 15 seconds - Whole Muscle Meats & Seafood

This tier covers whole cuts of meat and all seafood:

Seafood (All Types):

• Fish (salmon, tuna, halibut, cod)
• Shellfish (shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops)
• Commercially raised game (farm-raised venison)

Steaks and Chops:

• Beef steaks (ribeye, sirloin, T-bone)
• Pork chops
• Lamb chops
• Veal cutlets

Eggs Served Immediately:

• Fried eggs made to order
• Poached eggs
• Over-easy or sunny-side up eggs (if requested by customer)
• Soft-boiled eggs

Roasts (Special Rule):

• Beef, pork, veal, or lamb roasts can be cooked to 145°F IF they are held at that temperature for 4 minutes
• Alternative time-temperature combinations exist (see table below)

Why 145°F? Whole muscle meats have bacteria primarily on the surface, which is quickly killed when exposed to heat. The interior is generally sterile unless the meat has been cut, ground, or injected.

Important Note on Pork: The old requirement to cook pork to 160°F is outdated. The FDA Food Code (2022) requires only 145°F for whole cuts of pork. Trichinella (parasites in pork) are killed at 140°F.

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🟢 135°F - Plant-Based Foods Cooked Hot

This tier is for vegetables and grains served hot:

Hot-Cooked Vegetables:

• Steamed broccoli, green beans, carrots
• Roasted vegetables
• Grilled vegetables

Grains and Legumes:

• Rice and pasta
• Beans and lentils
• Oatmeal and other hot cereals

Fruits:

• Baked apples
• Grilled pineapple

Why 135°F? Plant-based foods have lower risk of pathogenic bacteria but must still be cooked thoroughly. 135°F is also the minimum temperature for hot holding.

Note: These foods must be cooked to 135°F and then held at 135°F or above for service.

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Complete Minimum Internal Cooking Temperatures Table

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Time-Temperature Relationship for Roasts

Alternative cooking times for roasts: The longer you hold at a temperature, the more pathogens are killed. For roasts (beef, pork, lamb, veal), you can use these time-temperature combinations:

Most common in practice: Cook roasts to 145°F and hold for 4 minutes.

For the Exam: Know that roasts have a special 4-minute hold time at 145°F. Other meats at 145°F only need 15 seconds.

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When to Check Cooking Temperatures

Check internal temperature:

1. As food begins to appear cooked - Don't wait until serving time
2. At the thickest part of the food - This is the last area to reach safe temperature
3. Multiple spots for large items - Check several locations in large roasts
4. BEFORE removing from heat - Don't remove and then check

Where to check temperature:

For meat, poultry, and fish:

• Insert thermometer into thickest part
• Avoid bone, fat, and gristle (they conduct heat differently)
• For whole poultry: check thickest part of breast and innermost part of thigh

For ground meat patties:

• Insert probe sideways into the patty (from the side, not top)
• Thin items may need folding to get accurate reading

For casseroles and stuffed items:

• Check center of the dish
• Check multiple spots if large

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Partial Cooking

Partial cooking means cooking food to less than its required temperature, then finishing cooking later.

When is partial cooking allowed? Partial cooking is ONLY allowed if:

1. Food will be cooked immediately after partial cooking
2. Total time in danger zone does not exceed 4 hours
3. It's part of a documented HACCP plan approved by health department

Common example: Par-cooking chicken breast to 140°F, refrigerating, then finishing on grill to 165°F when ordered.

Requirements for partial cooking:

• Never cook food to less than 130°F during initial cooking
• Cool immediately after partial cooking if not finishing immediately
• Reheat to final required temperature within 24 hours
• Document process and train staff

For the Exam: Partial cooking requires a HACCP plan and health department approval. It is NOT something done casually.

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Consumer Advisories (Undercooked Food Notices)

If your operation serves raw or undercooked animal foods (rare steaks, raw oysters, over-easy eggs, sushi), you MUST post a consumer advisory.

Consumer advisory has two parts:

1. Disclosure Identify which menu items are served raw or undercooked:

• Asterisk (*) next to menu items
• List of items in footnote
• "Served raw or undercooked" notation

2. Reminder Inform customers of increased risk:

"Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions."

Where to post:

• On menu (most common)
• On table tent cards
• On signs at buffets

When NOT required:

• If all foods are cooked to required minimum temperatures
• Comminuted (ground) meat served undercooked still requires advisory, but health departments strongly discourage serving undercooked ground meat

For the Exam: Know that consumer advisories are required when serving raw or undercooked animal foods. The advisory must include BOTH disclosure (what is raw) and reminder (risk warning).

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Special Considerations

Microwave Cooking:

• Cook meat, poultry, fish, and eggs to 165°F
• Rotate or stir food midway for even heating
• Cover food to retain moisture and heat
• Let stand 2 minutes after cooking for heat distribution

Sous Vide and Low-Temperature Cooking:

• Requires variance from health department
• Requires HACCP plan
• Uses time-temperature tables (longer time at lower temp)

Smoking as Cooking Method:

• If used as preservation method, requires variance
• If smoking and cooking to 165°F immediately, no variance needed