Info provided by the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services: 469-2015
Food Times and Temperatures:
How do you know what the temperature is? Buy a chef’s thermometer at a restaurant supply house, a good market, or a hardware store. Two methods may be used to calibrate it and make sure it’s reading the correct temperatures. With either method, you look at the temperature and adjust the small nut on the back of the dial until it’s correct. Ice Point Method of Calibration: In a bowl, make a mixture of 1/2 crushed ice and 1/2 water. When tested in this mixture, the dial should read 32�F. Boiling Point Method: Boil a small pot of water. When immersed in the boiling water, the dial should read 212�F.
TDZ (Temperature Danger Zone): 41�F-140�F
Most advantageous temperature for bacterial growth: 98.6�F
Most ideal growth range: 70�F-120�F (basically room temperature)
Temperatures For Safe Product:
… timed for a minimum of 15 seconds.
… cooked so that all parts reach the required temperature.
For Single Service (Cooked To Order):
Eggs — 145�F, (155�F for bulk service)
Fish — 145�F
Meat — 145�F
Pork — 155�F
Ratites — 155�F (Ratites are Emu and Ostrich)
Poultry — 165�F
Injected meats — 155�F
Ground meats — 155�F (165� to be absolutely safe)
Wild or Exotic Game — 165�F
Stuffing, or Stuffed Meats — 165�F
Reheating Leftovers — 165�F
Note: If heating with a microwave, add 25� and allow to sit two minutes before serving.
Cooling Down Cooked Food:
Six hours to cool from 140�F to 41�F, but in the first two hours you must get it from 140�F to 70�F, in the second four hours from 70�F to 41�F. Four hours total time to be absolutely safe.
This article appears in June 4 • 1999 and June 4 • 1999 (Cover).