Color and texture are unreliable indicators of whether cooked foods are safe to eat. Using a food thermometer is the only way to make sure cooked foods have reached an internal temperature high enough to kill harmful microorganisms.
Generally, the food thermometer should be placed in the thickest part of the food and should not touch bone, fat, or gristle. The following safe minimum temperatures are recommended to kill harmful microorganisms that cause foodborne illnesses.
A food thermometer should also be used to ensure cooked food is held at a safe temperature until served. Cold foods should be kept at 40°F or below. Hot food should be kept at 140°F or above.
IFT member Christine Bruhn, Director of the Center for Consumer Research at University of California-Davis, dispels some common myths about foodborne illness and gives tips on how to prevent it.
This column offers information about the nutritional and environmental benefits of edible insects as a protein source, along with safety and legal considerations.
This column offers information about balancing the many competing package design priorities to produce a commercially successful package.
This column offers information about how different aspects of climate change will impact agriculture and, in turn, food safety and security, and the need to develop mitigation strategies.
The influences that have shaped leading foodborne illness attorney Bill Marler’s work and what he considers the most pressing current foodborne illness issues.
News about food science research, food companies, food regulations, and consumer/marketplace trends.
In this podcast, we discuss food safety culture, including how food safety culture is established, measured, and how they are expected to change in light of ongoing advancements in food science and policy. Our guests include Hugo Gutierrez, Global Food Safety and Quality Officer for Kerry, and Bob Gravani, Professor Emeritus of Food Science and Director Emeritus of the National Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Program at Cornell University.
In the food industry, botulinum toxin is associated with a severe form of food poisoning caused by improperly preserved food. Researchers have developed a technology that addresses the role of botulinum toxin in both food and cosmetic applications.
