What should the internal temperature of a reheated casserole be to ensure safety?

The internal temperature of a reheated casserole should reach 165°F to ensure safety. This temperature is crucial because it is the minimum safe temperature recommended by food safety guidelines to effectively kill harmful bacteria that may have grown during storage.

When reheating leftover food, especially casseroles that may contain a variety of ingredients, achieving this temperature not only ensures that the food is hot enough to eat but also eliminates the risk of foodborne illnesses. Pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli can thrive in food that has been cooled and stored, and by reaching 165°F, the food is brought to a level that significantly reduces the possibility of these harmful bacteria surviving.

Maintaining this standard is a key practices in food safety, and it assures that when serving food that has been previously cooked and cooled, it is safe for consumption. Other temperature choices, while higher than the danger zone, do not meet the required threshold to effectively eliminate all potential pathogens.