Temperature danger zone
Temperature danger zone is between 41°F and 140°F.
Keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Always use a thermometer to check food temperatures.
Potentially hazardous foods must pass through the temperature danger zone as quickly as possible.
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Cooking raw animal foods
Always use an accurate food thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to and held at these safe temperatures.
The table and figure below show minimum cooking requirements for
some common raw animal foods.
Food
Internal Temperature and Time
Poultry
Wild game
Stuffed fish, meat, pasta or poultry
Stuffing containing fish, meat or poultry
165°F for 15 seconds
Chopped or ground meat, fish, and commercially raised game
Pork
Ratites
Injected or tenderized meats
Eggs for hot holding
155°F for 15 seconds
or
150°F for 1 minute
or
145°F for 3 minutes
Fish
Meat
Commercially raised game
Eggs for immediate service
145°F for 15 seconds