Beef

Recognizing that any raw agricultural food product can become contaminated if not properly handled before consumption, food safety experts are increasingly advocating public educating efforts, with a special emphasis on how food is purchased, stored, prepared, served and handled as leftovers.

• Cook whole muscle meats (roasts, chops, steaks) to at least an internal temperature of 145°F, which is slightly pink in the center; use a meat thermometer to check that the meat is cooked enough
• Cook ground beef, including meat loaf, to at least 155°F. This means there is no pink left in the middle. Cook ground poultry to at least 165°F.

Pork

• Use separate utensils for sampling and stirring.
• Don't sample foods that contain raw meat, fish, poultry or eggs unless they are fully cooked.
• Don't roast meat or poultry at temperatures below 325°F. Cooking foods at low temperatures for long periods of time may encourage bacterial growth.
• Don't baste foods with marinades used on raw meats during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Poultry

Food safety experts agree that foods are properly cooked when they are heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness. The best way to Fight bacteria is to:

• Use a meat thermometer, which measures the internal temperature of cooked meat and poultry, to make sure that the meat is cooked all the way through.
• Whole poultry should be cooked to 180°F. for doneness.
• Make sure there are no cold spots in food (where bacteria can survive) when cooking in a microwave oven. For best results, cover food, stir and rotate for even cooking. If there is no turntable, rotate the dish by hand one or twice during cooking.
• Bring sauces, soups and gravy to a boil when reheating. Heat other leftovers thoroughly to 165°F.

Seafood

Fish and shellfish are highly perishable foods like their protein counterparts, chicken, beef and pork. And, due to their perishability, all of these foods require good handling practices for optimum quality and safety. If mishandled, any bacteria present in these foods will multiply (in temperatures above 40°F) and cause spoilage. In short, this increases the chance for food poisoning to occur in addition to degrading taste and texture. But, food safety is everyone's responsibility. The commercial seafood industry takes great pride in delivering wholesome products to stores and markets across the country. However, consumers also have a role in properly caring for fish and shellfish from market to home to the table. While the following consumer guidelines for handling seafood may seem excessive at first, they are a common sense approach to handling most other foods for quality and safety.

Grilling Time

• Keep children and pets away from the fire. Have a squirt bottle of water nearby to control flare-ups. Don't wear baggy clothes. Use flame-resistant mitts, hot pads, and cooking utensils with long handles.
• Pack clean, soapy sponges, cloths, and wet towelettes for cleaning surfaces and hands. Be sure there are plenty of clean utensils and platters to keep raw foods and their juices separate from cooked foods.
• Don't use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry. Any bacteria present in raw meat or juices can contaminate the safely cooked meat. This is a prime cause of foodborne illness.

Ground Meat

• Wash hand with hot soapy water immediately before and after handling raw beef.
• Wash work surfaces and utensils thoroughly after handling raw meats.
• Defrost ground beef in the refrigerator (never on the kitchen counter) to prevent bacterial growth.
• Allow approximately 24 hours to defrost a 1 to 1-1/2 inch thick package.
• Cook ground beef as soon as possible after thawing. Cook without interruption; partial cooking may encourage bacterial growth.
• Cook until no longer pink and juices show no pink color. The USDA recommends cooking it to a least medium (160° F) doneness. Do not eat raw or rare ground beef.