What is the minimum cooking temperature for ground meats to ensure safety?

Ground meats must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 160°F to ensure they are safe to eat. This temperature is crucial because ground meats, including beef, pork, lamb, and veal, have a higher risk of contamination due to the grinding process. When meat is ground, any pathogens that may be present on the surface can be mixed throughout the product, making thorough cooking essential to eliminate harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella.

Cooking ground meats to 160°F ensures that the heat penetrates the entire product evenly, effectively killing any bacteria that could cause foodborne illnesses. Maintaining this temperature helps protect consumers and is aligned with food safety guidelines set by health authorities.

The specified temperatures for other options serve different types of meats or cooking needs but do not meet the safety requirements for ground meats. For example, while 145°F is suitable for whole cuts of beef and pork, and 165°F is appropriate for poultry, ground meats specifically require that 160°F threshold to ensure safety.