Which type of food should always be cooked to at least 165°F?

Cooking poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F is crucial for food safety. This temperature is necessary to kill harmful pathogens like Salmonella and Campylobacter, which are commonly associated with raw poultry. These bacteria can cause severe foodborne illnesses if the poultry is undercooked.

While other proteins, such as pork and seafood, also require specific cooking temperatures to ensure safety and quality, they do not require reaching the same minimum internal temperature as poultry. For example, pork can be safely cooked to a lower temperature of 145°F if allowed to rest for at least three minutes. Seafood also has varying requirements depending on the type. Vegetables, while they need to be cooked properly for quality and digestibility, do not carry the same risk of bacterial contamination as raw poultry. Therefore, understanding and following the guideline that poultry must reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F is imperative for ensuring food safety.