Food Safety Certification Practice Test

The minimum internal cooking temperature for poultry is 165°F. This temperature is critical for ensuring that harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, which can be present in raw poultry, are effectively killed. Cooking poultry to this temperature ensures food safety by reducing the risk of foodborne illness.

For ground poultry or whole poultry parts, reaching 165°F guarantees that both the inner and outer layers are cooked safely. It is also important to use a food thermometer to accurately measure the temperature in the thickest part of the poultry, avoiding bone where the temperature might be misleading.

Other temperatures listed, such as 145°F and 155°F, do not adequately eliminate these pathogens, thereby posing a risk of foodborne illnesses if poultry is consumed undercooked. 180°F, while safe, is higher than necessary for effective pathogen destruction and can result in drier meat.