SNHD Cooking Temperatures 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: To what minimum internal temperature must whole muscle beef steaks be cooked when served to the general public in Nevada?

130°F (54°C)
145°F (63°C) (Correct answer)
155°F (68°C)
165°F (74°C)

Correct answer: 145°F (63°C)

Whole muscle beef steaks must reach a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest time. This applies to intact cuts like steaks and roasts served to healthy adults.

The FDA Food Code requires whole muscle beef (steaks, roasts) to reach 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest period. During the rest period, the temperature remains constant or continues to rise, allowing heat to destroy pathogens throughout the meat. This temperature applies to intact, non-tenderized beef. Mechanically tenderized, marinated, or blade-tenderized beef must be cooked to 155°F because the tenderizing process can move surface bacteria into the interior.

Question 2: What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for ground beef patties served in Nevada food service establishments?

145°F (63°C)
150°F (65°C)
155°F (68°C) (Correct answer)
165°F (74°C)

Correct answer: 155°F (68°C)

Ground beef must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 155°F (68°C). Because grinding distributes surface pathogens throughout the meat, a higher temperature than whole cuts is required.

When beef is ground, any bacteria present on the surface of the meat are mixed throughout the entire patty. This means the interior of a ground beef patty can contain as many pathogens as the surface — unlike a whole steak where the interior is typically sterile. Nevada food safety rules, following the FDA Food Code, therefore require ground beef to reach 155°F (68°C) to ensure pathogens are destroyed throughout the entire patty, not just at the surface.

Question 3: A food handler is cooking a stuffed chicken breast. What minimum internal temperature must be reached?

145°F (63°C)
155°F (68°C)
165°F (74°C) (Correct answer)
180°F (82°C)

Correct answer: 165°F (74°C)

All poultry, including stuffed chicken breasts, must reach 165°F (74°C). Stuffing is especially important to check because it may take longer to reach the required temperature than the meat itself.

All poultry products — whole birds, boneless breasts, thighs, wings, and stuffed poultry — must reach a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for at least 15 seconds. When poultry is stuffed, the stuffing itself can harbor bacteria from the raw meat cavity. The probe thermometer should be inserted into the center of the stuffing and into the thickest part of the meat to confirm that both have reached 165°F before serving.

Question 4: Where should a food thermometer be inserted to get the most accurate temperature reading from a hamburger patty?

Into the top surface of the patty
Into the thickest part through the side of the patty (Correct answer)
Into the thinnest edge of the patty
Under the patty on the grill surface

Correct answer: Into the thickest part through the side of the patty

The thermometer probe should be inserted sideways into the thickest part of the patty to accurately measure the internal temperature at the coldest point, which is the last to reach the required temperature.

Inserting a thermometer from the side into the thickest part of a hamburger patty ensures that the sensor tip reaches the geometric center of the patty, which is the last point to heat up. Inserting from the top typically measures a shallow depth and gives a falsely high reading. The center of a thin patty should be measured by inserting horizontally so the tip reaches the middle. This accurate reading confirms that the entire patty has achieved the required 155°F minimum temperature.

Question 5: Which of the following foods requires the HIGHEST minimum internal cooking temperature of 165°F (74°C)?

Pork loin roast
Salmon fillet
Chicken breast (Correct answer)
Beef steak

Correct answer: Chicken breast

Chicken breast is poultry and must reach 165°F (74°C). Pork loin and salmon require 145°F, and beef steaks require 145°F for intact whole muscle cuts.

The 165°F (74°C) requirement applies to all poultry (chicken, turkey, duck), stuffed meats, and reheated food for hot holding. This higher temperature is required because poultry naturally harbors Salmonella and Campylobacter at higher levels than other proteins, and these pathogens can be present throughout the muscle tissue. Pork, seafood, and intact beef require only 145°F, while ground meats require 155°F.

Question 6: How should a food handler verify that food has reached the correct internal cooking temperature?

By checking the color and texture of the food
By using a calibrated, sanitized food thermometer (Correct answer)
By timing the cooking on a standard clock
By pressing the food with a spatula to test firmness

Correct answer: By using a calibrated, sanitized food thermometer

Only a calibrated and sanitized food thermometer can accurately verify internal temperature. Color, texture, timing, and firmness are all unreliable indicators of doneness.

Color, texture, and cook time are all unreliable methods for verifying that food has reached a safe internal temperature. Research has shown that hamburgers can turn brown before reaching 160°F and that some remain pink at safe temperatures. A probe thermometer that has been calibrated (using the ice water or boiling water method) and sanitized before each use is the only reliable way to confirm that food has achieved the required minimum internal temperature as mandated by SNHD and Nevada food safety regulations.

SNHD Cooking Temperatures 2

To what minimum internal temperature must whole muscle beef steaks be cooked when served to the general public in Nevada?