Are safe temperatures for meat scientifically measured or empirical? For example 165°F/74°C for poultry. If they are scientifically measured, how are they determined?
In: Biology
Meat becomes unsafe because of bacteria that may (or may not) live within it. Perfectly sterile meat would be safe to eat raw but that’s nearly impossible to get. So, scientists determine which bacteria can be encountered and measure how heat resistant they are.
As far as I know, 74°C is the recommended temperature to kill salmonella, so even if you got unlucky and your poultry contained it, after cooking it at this temperature you will be safe.
Latest Answers