Why is 165°F required for poultry but only 145°F for steak?

Poultry carries Salmonella and Campylobacter distributed throughout the muscle, not just on the surface. Whole-muscle beef and pork carry pathogens predominantly on the surface, where the cooking process kills them at the outset. Ground beef and ground pork get 155°F, not 145°F, because grinding moves surface contamination into the interior of the food. The temperature is matched to where the pathogens actually are in the food.

Is the hold time always 15 seconds at the minimum cooking temperature?

No. This is a classic exam distractor. The 165°F category is instantaneous (<1 second). The 155°F category is 17 seconds. The 145°F category is 15 seconds. Whole roasts at 145°F require 4 minutes. The hold time varies by category — it is not always 15 seconds.

What is the minimum cooking temperature for ground beef?

Under the FDA Food Code, ground beef must reach 155°F (68°C) for 17 seconds. Note that USDA consumer guidance for home cooking lists 160°F for ground meats, which is a separate guidance for consumers, not the food-service standard. Food handlers and food-service operations follow the FDA Food Code's 155°F/17s combination.

Why does microwave cooking of raw animal foods require 165°F?

The 165°F rule for microwave cooking applies specifically to raw animal foods (raw meats, raw poultry, raw seafood, raw shell eggs) being cooked in a microwave under FDA Food Code §3-401.12 — not to every food item that touches a microwave. Microwave heating is inherently uneven — cold spots are common. Setting a high target temperature (165°F) plus rotating or stirring during heating plus a 2-minute covered rest after gives the heat time to equalize so that all parts of the food reach a safe temperature. The 165°F target compensates for the uneven heating.

Do these FDA temperatures apply in every state?

The FDA Food Code is a model code. States and local jurisdictions adopt specific versions of the Food Code and may modify them. The temperatures above reflect the 2022 FDA Model Food Code, which most jurisdictions have adopted or are in the process of adopting. Confirm the version of the Food Code in effect for your operation through your state or local health department, and follow whichever rule is stricter if your local code differs from the FDA model.

Minimum Cooking Temperatures for Food Safety: The FDA Food Code Time-Temperature Combinations

Q: What is the minimum cooking temperature for ground beef?

Under the FDA Food Code, ground beef must reach 155°F (68°C) for 17 seconds. Note that USDA consumer guidance for home cooking lists 160°F for ground meats, which is a separate guidance for consumers, not the food-service standard. Food handlers and food-service operations follow the FDA Food Code's 155°F/17s combination.

Q: Why does microwave cooking of raw animal foods require 165°F?

The 165°F rule for microwave cooking applies specifically to raw animal foods (raw meats, raw poultry, raw seafood, raw shell eggs) being cooked in a microwave under FDA Food Code §3-401.12 — not to every food item that touches a microwave. Microwave heating is inherently uneven — cold spots are common. Setting a high target temperature (165°F) plus rotating or stirring during heating plus a 2-minute covered rest after gives the heat time to equalize so that all parts of the food reach a safe temperature. The 165°F target compensates for the uneven heating.

Q: What is the reheating temperature for previously cooked food?

Reheating cooked TCS food for hot holding requires reaching 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours of starting the reheating process. This applies regardless of the food's original cooking temperature. The 2-hour limit is critical — slow reheating gives bacteria time to grow in the danger zone.

Q: Do these FDA temperatures apply in every state?

The FDA Food Code is a model code. States and local jurisdictions adopt specific versions of the Food Code and may modify them. The temperatures above reflect the 2022 FDA Model Food Code, which most jurisdictions have adopted or are in the process of adopting. Confirm the version of the Food Code in effect for your operation through your state or local health department, and follow whichever rule is stricter if your local code differs from the FDA model.

TL;DR

The FDA 2022 Model Food Code (Chart 4-A) sets four core minimum internal cooking temperatures for time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods, each with a required minimum hold time at that temperature. The most-tested combinations are 165°F (74°C) for <1 second (instantaneous) for poultry, stuffed meats and stuffing, and raw animal foods cooked in a microwave (with a 2-minute covered rest); 155°F (68°C) for 17 seconds for ground meats, injected or mechanically tenderized meats, ratites, and ground seafood; 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds for whole muscle cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and fish, plus shell eggs prepared for immediate service; and 145°F for 4 minutes for whole roasts of beef and pork (with several equivalent lower-temperature, longer-time combinations also approved). Raw fruits and vegetables that will be hot-held only require reaching 135°F (57°C). Reheating previously cooked TCS food for hot holding requires reaching 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours. The "15-second hold time" most food handlers memorize is technically the hold time for the 145°F category — different categories have different hold times, and answering "always 15 seconds" on the exam is a classic distractor. Always measure with a clean, calibrated thermometer at the thickest part of the food, wait for the reading to stabilize, and document the temperature and time. The FDA Food Code is the model code; the specific temperatures and hold times enforceable in your jurisdiction depend on which version of the Food Code your state or local health authority has adopted.

Why Time-Temperature Combinations Matter

Minimum internal cooking temperatures exist because pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and parasites that cause foodborne illness — Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and others — are killed by heat. But "killed by heat" is not a single temperature point. It is a time-and-temperature combination (the FDA Food Code 2022 Chart 4-A sets out the full table). A food briefly touching 165°F may not have actually held that temperature long enough to achieve the required log reduction in pathogen population. A food held at 145°F for 15 seconds achieves the same lethality as a food held at a higher temperature for less time — these are called equivalent time-temperature combinations, and they all reflect the same target reduction in pathogen levels.

For ServSafe, your state food handler exam, and your day-to-day operational decisions, the four core temperatures below are the ones to commit to memory. They are organized by food category because different foods carry different pathogen risk profiles, and the FDA Food Code matches the time-temperature combination to the food. For an overview of how cooked TCS foods are then cooled down safely (the next critical control point), see our companion guide on two-stage cooling for TCS foods.

165°F (74°C) — Poultry, Stuffed Foods, and Microwaved Animal Foods

The highest cooking temperature in the standard chart, 165°F (74°C) for <1 second (instantaneous), applies to:

Poultry — whole birds, parts, and ground poultry (chicken, turkey, duck, goose). The high temperature is driven by Salmonella and Campylobacter, the dominant poultry-associated pathogens.
Stuffed meats, fish, and pasta — when the stuffing is inside a meat or fish, the densest part of the food (the stuffing itself, where heat penetrates slowest) needs the highest target temperature.
Stuffing containing meat, poultry, or fish — whether cooked inside or alongside the protein.
Raw animal foods cooked in a microwave — because microwave heating is uneven, the 165°F target plus a 2-minute covered rest after heating gives the heat time to equalize through the food. This rule applies specifically to raw animal foods (raw meats, raw poultry, raw seafood, raw shell eggs) being cooked in a microwave, not to plant foods or to commercially processed ready-to-eat foods being reheated.

The instantaneous hold time ("<1 second") for the 165°F category means that the moment the thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest part, the lethality requirement is satisfied. You do not need to hold the food at 165°F for any additional time — but you also cannot under-cook by removing it from heat before it reaches 165°F throughout.

155°F (68°C) for 17 Seconds — Ground Meats and Injected Meats

The middle temperature, 155°F (68°C) for 17 seconds, applies to foods where the grinding or injection process distributes surface contamination throughout the food:

Ground meats — beef, pork, lamb, and other ground meats. The grinding process moves any surface bacteria (where pathogens normally live on a whole muscle cut) throughout the interior of the food — a classic cross-contamination scenario at the structural level. A medium-rare ground beef burger is therefore much higher risk than a medium-rare steak.
Injected or mechanically tenderized meats — brined hams, flavor-injected roasts, and blade-tenderized cuts have had their interior intentionally penetrated by the brine needle or tenderizer blades, carrying surface contamination inward.
Ground seafood — including chopped, flaked, and minced fish.
Ratites — ostrich, emu, and rhea.
Raw, pooled shell eggs not prepared for immediate service — multiple eggs cracked into a single container for later use.

The 17-second hold time, not 15, is the FDA Food Code's specified hold for 155°F. Lower equivalent combinations also exist in the chart (such as 158°F for 1 second), but 155°F/17s is the most commonly tested combination.

145°F (63°C) for 15 Seconds — Whole Muscle Cuts and Eggs for Immediate Service

The lowest of the three core cooking temperatures, 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds, applies to:

Whole, intact muscle cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and veal — steaks, chops, and roasts that have not been ground or injected. Surface contamination on these cuts is killed by the surface cooking process; the interior is essentially sterile.
Fish (whole muscle, not ground) — fillets and steaks.
Other seafood — including shellfish (which the FDA Food Code also subjects to specific source/tag requirements separately).
Raw shell eggs prepared for immediate service — a single egg or order cooked and served right away.

This is the "15-second hold time" that most food handlers memorize. The trap on the exam is assuming "15 seconds" applies to every cooking-temperature category — it does not. The 165°F category is instantaneous; the 155°F category is 17 seconds; the 145°F category is 15 seconds; and whole roasts have a longer hold time as discussed below.

Whole Roasts — 145°F for 4 Minutes (or Equivalent)

Whole roasts of beef, pork, and corned beef are cooked at 145°F (63°C) but with a much longer hold time — 4 minutes at 145°F, or any of several equivalent lower-temperature, longer-time combinations approved by the FDA Food Code:

144°F for 5 minutes
142°F for 8 minutes
140°F for 12 minutes
136°F for 32 minutes
130°F for 121 minutes (slow-roast methods)

These combinations exist because Salmonella reduction follows a predictable time-temperature curve, and operations using low-and-slow cooking can achieve the same lethality at lower temperatures with much longer holds. For an exam answer, "145°F for 4 minutes" is the most common stated combination for whole roasts.

135°F (57°C) — Raw Fruits and Vegetables for Hot Holding

Raw fruits and vegetables that will be hot-held only need to reach 135°F (57°C). There is no required time-temperature hold for this category in the FDA Food Code; the 135°F number is the lower boundary of the hot-holding range, not a pathogen-kill temperature. The reasoning: raw produce does not carry the same animal-source pathogens that meat, poultry, and seafood carry, and the goal here is to get the food up to the hot-holding boundary, not to achieve a log reduction.

Reheating Cooked TCS Food

When previously cooked TCS food has been cooled, refrigerated, and is being reheated for hot holding, the reheating temperature is 165°F (74°C) for 15 seconds within 2 hours of starting the reheating process. This applies regardless of the food's original cooking temperature — a steak originally cooked to 145°F, once refrigerated and reheated for service, must reach 165°F. The 2-hour limit exists because rapid reheating prevents extended time in the temperature danger zone (between 41°F and 135°F). Microwave reheating of TCS food carries the additional requirement of reaching 165°F throughout, plus stirring or rotating during heating, plus a 2-minute covered rest after.

Exception for commercially processed ready-to-eat foods. Commercially processed, packaged ready-to-eat TCS foods from an inspected food-processing plant — canned soups, packaged deli meats heated for service, factory-cooked rotisserie chickens, packaged cheese sauces — are reheated to at least 135°F for hot holding under FDA Food Code §3-403.11(C). The full 165°F/15 seconds rule applies specifically to foods that have been cooked, cooled, and reheated by your operation. The reasoning: commercially processed RTE products were already cooked under inspected conditions at the processing plant and packaged at safe temperatures, so the reheating step is bringing them up to hot-holding temperature rather than achieving a primary pathogen reduction.

Measuring Temperature Correctly

The minimum internal temperatures only matter if you measure them correctly. Standard procedure:

Use a calibrated thermometer. Calibrate using the ice-water method (32°F/0°C) or boiling-water method (212°F/100°C at sea level) at least daily, after any drop, and any time the reading seems off.
Insert at the thickest part of the food, away from bone, fat, or gristle. For poultry, the thickest part of the breast or the innermost part of the thigh.
Wait for the reading to stabilize — typically 15 seconds — before recording.
Clean and sanitize the probe between foods to prevent cross-contamination.
Record the temperature and time in your operation's logs. Documentation matters for both regulatory inspections and internal accountability.

This same calibration discipline applies to the cold-holding and cooling thermometers used elsewhere in your operation. For the practical mechanics of using time and temperature controls during cooling, the next critical step after cooking, see our two-stage cooling guide.

FDA Model Code vs. State Adoption

One important caveat: the FDA Food Code is a model code. It is not directly enforceable as federal law against your operation. Each state, and in some cases each local jurisdiction, adopts a specific version of the Food Code (the 2017, the 2022, or earlier) and may modify it. Some state codes use "15 seconds" across multiple temperature categories rather than the 17 seconds the FDA Food Code specifies for 155°F, and a few jurisdictions retain older "140°F" hot-holding language that has been updated to 135°F in the current FDA model. Always confirm the specific time-temperature requirements enforced by the health authority for your operation, and follow the stricter of the FDA model code or your local code in case of doubt. For the broader FDA hot-holding and danger-zone framework that surrounds these cooking temperatures, see the FDA Food Code program page.

Bottom Line

Commit the four core combinations to memory: 165°F (instantaneous) for poultry, stuffed foods, and raw animal foods cooked in a microwave; 155°F for 17 seconds for ground meats and injected meats; 145°F for 15 seconds for whole muscle cuts of beef, pork, lamb, fish, and shell eggs for immediate service; and 145°F for 4 minutes for whole roasts (or an equivalent lower-temperature, longer-time combination). Hot-hold raw fruits and vegetables at 135°F minimum, and reheat cooked TCS food to 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours. Always measure with a calibrated thermometer at the thickest part of the food, wait for the reading to stabilize, and record the result. The FDA Food Code is the model standard; what is enforceable in your operation is whatever version your state or local health authority has adopted, so know your local code.

FAQ

Why is 165°F required for poultry but only 145°F for steak?: Poultry carries Salmonella and Campylobacter distributed throughout the muscle, not just on the surface. Whole-muscle beef and pork carry pathogens predominantly on the surface, where the cooking process kills them at the outset. Ground beef and ground pork get 155°F, not 145°F, because grinding moves surface contamination into the interior of the food. The temperature is matched to where the pathogens actually are in the food.
Is the hold time always 15 seconds at the minimum cooking temperature?: No. This is a classic exam distractor. The 165°F category is instantaneous (<1 second). The 155°F category is 17 seconds. The 145°F category is 15 seconds. Whole roasts at 145°F require 4 minutes. The hold time varies by category — it is not always 15 seconds.
What is the minimum cooking temperature for ground beef?: Under the FDA Food Code, ground beef must reach 155°F (68°C) for 17 seconds. Note that USDA consumer guidance for home cooking lists 160°F for ground meats, which is a separate guidance for consumers, not the food-service standard. Food handlers and food-service operations follow the FDA Food Code's 155°F/17s combination.
Why does microwave cooking of raw animal foods require 165°F?: The 165°F rule for microwave cooking applies specifically to raw animal foods (raw meats, raw poultry, raw seafood, raw shell eggs) being cooked in a microwave under FDA Food Code §3-401.12 — not to every food item that touches a microwave. Microwave heating is inherently uneven — cold spots are common. Setting a high target temperature (165°F) plus rotating or stirring during heating plus a 2-minute covered rest after gives the heat time to equalize so that all parts of the food reach a safe temperature. The 165°F target compensates for the uneven heating.
What is the reheating temperature for previously cooked food?: Reheating cooked TCS food for hot holding requires reaching 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours of starting the reheating process. This applies regardless of the food's original cooking temperature. The 2-hour limit is critical — slow reheating gives bacteria time to grow in the danger zone.
Do these FDA temperatures apply in every state?: The FDA Food Code is a model code. States and local jurisdictions adopt specific versions of the Food Code and may modify them. The temperatures above reflect the 2022 FDA Model Food Code, which most jurisdictions have adopted or are in the process of adopting. Confirm the version of the Food Code in effect for your operation through your state or local health department, and follow whichever rule is stricter if your local code differs from the FDA model.

Source: FDA Food Code program page · FDA Food Code 2022 (PDF, full text) · USDA FSIS — Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart