WSU Thurston County

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Lacey WA  98503

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Thurston County Extension

Food Safety: Cooking Equipment

The Olympian, September 2, 1998

One of the most critical factors in controlling bacteria in food is controlling and monitoring food temperatures. Kitchen thermometers are the most reliable way to ensure you have appropriate temperatures.

QUESTION: Why is it important to use a thermometer?

ANSWER: Using a thermometer ensures that food is safe to eat. It’s especially important to use a thermometer to check end-point temperatures of meat and poultry. For safety, the product needs to be cooked to an internal temperature high enough to destroy any disease-causing bacteria that may have been in the food. This is especially important for ground products.

AT A GLANCE

The right temperature - The United States Department of Agriculture (USDAj) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) have established recommended internal cooking temperatures for consumers:

• Eggs and egg dishes: 160F

• Ground beef, veal, lamb or pork: 160F

• Ground turkey: 165F

• Whole chicken or turkey: 180F

• Stuffing inside poultry: 165F

• Poultry thighs and wings: 180F

• Duck and goose: 180F

• Fresh ham: 160F

• Precooked ham: 140F

• Fresh pork, medium: 160F; well done 170F

• Fresh beef, medium rare: 145F; medium: 160F, well done: 170F

While there may be bacteria on the surface of a pot roast or T-bone steak, if it hasn’t been pierced during processing or preparation, there is no bacteria on the inside of the meat. With ground products, however, if there is surface contamination, it’s easily transferred throughout the meat during grinding.

Scientific research shows that color and texture are not reliable indicators of safety. A hamburger cooked to 160F, regardless of color, is safe.

QUESTION: I’ve thought about purchasing a kitchen thermometer, but there are many kinds. Can you help?

ANSWER: When you’re shopping, look for a bimetallic thermometer. This type contains a coil in the metal s tem (probe) connected to a temperature dial. They are made of two metals that have different rates of expansion, and when they are heated, the coil inside the probe expands. This expansion registers as a temperature reading on the dial.

There are two widely used type of bimetallic thermometers, "oven-safe" and "instant read".

Oven-safe thermometers frequently are called meat thermometers. Usually, they have a circular temperature dial with a metal probe that is 2 to 3 inches long. They are designed to be placed in food before it goes into the oven. They are best used in thick foods such as beef roasts, or in foods cooked in a stockpot. They should not be used in foods that are less then 3 inches thick.

Instant-read thermometers look very similar but usually have a smaller temperature-indicator dial. They are designed to measure food temperatures in about 15 to 20 seconds and cannot be left in the oven while food is cooking.

The dial covers usually are made of plastic and will melt. They can be used on thin foods if you insert the probe sideways. That way, the metal stem is fully inserted in the center of the patty.

Other kinds of thermometers include thermocouples, which are used for high-temperature items such as candy, jelly and foods fried in oil; refrigerator/freezer thermometers; and oven thermometers.]

B. Susie Craig

Area Faculty

WSU Cooperative Extension, Thurston County

WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination.  Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension Office.   Cooperating agencies: Washington State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the county of Thurston.

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