A microbiologist with the University of Manitoba suggests cooking meats to the correct internal temperature is the best defense against the risks associated with foodborne illness.
The consumption of raw meat gained recent public attention after a southern Ontario restaurant was cited for serving kibbeh, a dish of finely ground spiced lamb, sometimes eaten raw, and was ordered to stop serving that type of product or face closure.
Dr. Rick Holley, a food safety and food microbiology professor with the University of Manitoba, recommends cooking meats to an internal temperature of 72 degrees and poultry to 80 degrees in order to ensure any pathogens capable of causing foodborne illness are killed.
The criteria that has been established for cooking raw meats are based upon time temperature combinations that yield essentially pasteurized product and their design have a long history of successful performance in terms of eliminating pathogenic bacteria whether it’s Salmonella or E. Coli that are pathogenic, Staphylococcus Aureus from food products and preventing illnesses as a result of variable levels and consistent levels of contamination by these organisms and also Campylobacter.
So these temperatures and times are certainly well established in the scientific literature as being very effective in preventing problems with respect to contamination by these pathogenic bacteria from foods of animal origin whether they’re meat or whether they’re eggs or meat for that matter.
Dr. Holley suggests, if you don’t already have one in the kitchen, go out and buy a meat thermometer and use it to reduce the risk.
