Recommended Temperatures for Safe Cooking

Eggs, meat, and poultry not cooked to a safe internal temperature can cause food-borne illness, leading to abdominal pain, diarrhea, and severe dehydration.

Using a meat thermometer to make sure these foods reach the following recommended internal temperatures can protect your family from salmonella, E. coli, and other infectious illnesses. Insert the thermometer into the center of the food and wait 30 seconds to get an accurate measurement.

Food product: Eggs and egg dishes

Recommended: Egg cooked until the white and yolk are firm

Recommended internal temperature: Dishes containing eggs, 160 degrees Fahrenheit (F)

Food product: Ground meat and poultry mixtures

Recommended internal temperature: Veal, beef, lamb, and pork (including patties), 160 degrees F

Recommended internal temperature: Turkey and chicken (including patties), 165 degrees F

Food product: Fresh beef, pork, lamb, and veal

Recommended minimum internal temperature: 145 degrees F. To ensure safety, the meat should be allowed to "rest" for at least three minutes before it's cut or consumed.

Food product: Poultry

Recommended internal temperature: All poultry (including stuffing), 165 degrees F

Food product: Ham

Recommended internal temperature: Precooked ham packed in USDA-approved packing plant (to reheat), 140 degrees F

Recommended internal temperature: Fresh (raw) or precooked ham NOT packed in a USDA-approved packing plant, 160 degrees F

Food product: Fish and seafood

Recommended internal temperature: 145 degrees F

Recommended internal temperature: Ground or flaked fish (such as a fish cake), 155 degrees F

Recommended internal temperature: Stuffed fish, 165 degrees F