What is the minimum internal temperature that poultry should be cooked to for safety?

Poultry must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to ensure that harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, are effectively killed. Cooking poultry to this temperature helps ensure food safety and prevents foodborne illnesses that can arise from inadequate cooking.

This temperature is established by food safety standards and is crucial for all types of poultry, including chicken, turkey, and duck. Ensuring that the internal temperature reaches 165°F means that the meat is safe to eat and reduces the risk of foodborne pathogens surviving in the product.

While other temperatures listed may be acceptable for serving poultry, they exceed the minimum safety requirement established by food safety guidelines. Thus, while they may provide additional assurances of safety, they are not the minimum necessary to ensure safety in poultry cooking. Hence, 165°F (74°C) is the critical temperature to focus on for ensuring the safety of cooked poultry.