Temperature is one of the main factors that may lead to microorganism growth in food. Therefore, it plays a significant and important role in food safety, be it in terms of storage or cooking. Knowing the right temperature to store or cook your food will play a big part in making sure you serve safe food to your diners.
Storing
Different types of food products require different optimum storage temperatures. The following table shows the breakdown of the temperatures needed for storing the different food products:
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Temperature Storage Chart
Source: The Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations issued by National Environment Agency (NEA), 2005. Singapore.Food item Type of food Temperature (ºC) Temperature (ºF) Meat Frozen meat < -12°C < 10°F Thawed frozen meat 0°C to 4°C 32°F to 39°F Fish & seafood Frozen seafood -18°C 0°F Thawed seafood 0°C to 4°C 32°F to 39°F Vegetables Vegetables 0°C to 4°C 32°F to 39°F Dairy Milk 2°C to 4°C 35°F to 39°F Eggs Eggs 3°C to 4°C 37°F to 39°F
Cooking
By cooking your food with a high enough required minimal temperature for 15 seconds, you will be able to kill harmful microorganisms present in the food. Use a food thermometer to check if your food is cooked properly. Below is a breakdown for the ideal cooking temperatures:
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Minimum Cooking Temperature Chart
Cooked food item Type of food Minimum cooking temperature (ºC) Minimum cooking temperature (ºF) Meat Steak/chops 63°C 145°F Roasts 63°C 145°F Ground meats (beef & lamb)
68.3°C 155°F Stuffed meats (beef & lamb)
68.3°C 155°F Injected meats (beef & lamb)
68.3°C 155°F Ham 71°C 160°F Poultry Chicken/turkey 74°C 165°F Duck/goose 74°C 165°F Seafood Fish 63°C 145°F Eggs Eggs 71°C 160°F Others Mixture of ingredients 74°C 165°F Leftovers 74°C 165°F
We recommend that you print out the Temperature Storage Chart and Minimum Cooking Temperature Chart and paste them beside your storage and cooking area to provide a reminder for you and your staff on these critical temperatures, which would in turn help prevent any food safety incidences.
