What You Need to Know About...
State law requirements for
cooking some meat

Effective January 1, 1998, there are new requirements in the California Uniform Retail Food Facilities Law (CURFFL) relating to the heating of some foods. Foods, including ground and chopped meat, pork, poultry, and eggs, now have minimum cooking temperatures that must be met to assure that these foods do not contain illness-causing bacteria like E. coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella. These foods do not always contain harmful bacteria, but there are definite risks in consuming raw or incompletely cooked animal tissue. Thorough cooking is the most effective way to kill bacteria that cause illness and even death in children, the elderly, and chronically ill persons.

Ground, Chopped, and Flaked Meat
(Beef, Veal, Lamb, & Pork)
CURFFL Section 113996(a)(1)

All ready-to-eat foods prepared at the food facility from raw or incompletely cooked animal tissue shall be thoroughly cooked prior to serving. For purposes of this subdivision, food shall be deemed to be thoroughly cooked if it conforms to the following requirements, except as specified in subdivision (b): (1) Comminuted meat or any food containing comminuted meat shall be heated to a minimum internal temperature of 69 degrees Celsius (157 degrees Fahrenheit), or an optional internal temperature of 68 degrees Celsius (155 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 seconds. 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
(b) When foods containing raw or incompletely cooked animal tissue specified in this section are prepared in a microwave oven, they shall be heated at a minimum internal temperature of at least 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit) in all parts of the food. During microwaving, the food shall be completely enclosed in a container to retain surface moisture, and periodically stirred or rotated to assure even heat distribution. Upon the completion of microwaving, the enclosed food shall be left standing for a minimum of two minutes to assure temperature equilibrium. This subdivision does not apply to the heating of ready-to-eat cooked foods or the defrosting of food items. (c) A ready-to-eat salad dressing or sauce containing a raw or less-than-thoroughly cooked egg as an ingredient, and other ready-to-eat foods made from or containing eggs, comminuted meat, or single pieces of meat (including beef, veal, lamb, pork, poultry, fish, and seafood) that are raw or have not been thoroughly cooked as provided in subdivision (a) may be served if either of the following requirements are met: (1) The consumer specifically orders that the food be individually prepared less than thoroughly cooked. (2) The food facility notifies the consumer, orally or in writing, at the time of ordering, that the food is raw or less than thoroughly cooked. (d) The department shall authorize alternative time and temperature minimum heating requirements to thoroughly cook the foods identified in this section when the food facility or person demonstrates to the department that the alternative heating requirements provide an equivalent level of food safety. (e) For purposes of this section, "meat" means the tissue of animals used as food, including beef, veal, lamb, pork, and other edible animals, except eggs, fish, and poultry, that is offered for human consumption. (f) It is the intent of the Legislature that the requirements of this section be uniformly enforced. The department shall train and provide guidance to local health departments to promote uniform enforcement of the requirements specified in this section.


                                                       Eggs and Foods Containing Raw Eggs
                                                                     CURFFL Section 113996(a)(2)

Shell eggs should be refrigerated until ready to cook. Unless a customer requests a food to be cooked other than thoroughly, all foods made with raw eggs must be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145° F. This minimum temperature requirement does not apply to foods made with pasteurized eggs. Temperatures should be taken in the center of the egg containing food. Cooked egg whites and yolks should be firm after cooking (not runny). Cooked eggs must be held at or above 140° F. Pooling raw eggs is risky; if one egg contains dangerous bacteria, all the eggs in the pool can become contaminated. If eggs are pooled, they should be kept refrigerated at 41° F of colder until ready to cook.

                                                   Pork and Pork Products
                                              CURFFL Section 113996(a)(3)

Unless a customer requests a food to be cooked other than thoroughly, all pork or foods made with pork must be cooked to an minimum internal temperature of at least 145° F for 15 seconds. Some pork contains parasitic worms and harmful bacteria. Thorough cooking is effective in making pork and pork products safe. Temperatures should be taken at the thickest portion of the food. Meat should be firm, not mushy; juices should be clear, not pink. This requirement does not apply to cured foods such as bacon or ham, or USDA-inspected fully cooked products such as lunch meats containing pork or summer sausages. Pork ordered "medium" should be cooked to at least 155° F. Pork ordered "well done" should be cooked to at least 170° F.

Poultry, Chopped or Ground Poultry, Stuffed Fish, Stuffed Meat, Stuffed Poultry, & Foods Stuffed with Meat or Poultry
CURFFL Section 113996(a)(4)

Stuffed poultry (e.g., stuffed chicken, turkey, duck, and goose), comminuted poultry, stuffed meat and fish are particularly difficult to judge to ensure that all harmful bacteria have been killed. These stuffed foods should be heated to an internal temperature of at least 165° F. Temperatures should be taken at the thickest portion of the carcass or part. Flesh should be tender: a fork should go easily to the bone. Juices should run clear, not pink. Whole turkey should be at least 180° F in the leg, and at least 165° F in the breasts.

Microwaving Raw Meat, Eggs, & Poultry
CURFFL Section 113996(b)

When foods containing raw or incompletely cooked ground meat, eggs, pork, or poultry are cooked in a microwave oven, they must be heated to an internal temperature at least 25° F above the minimum temperature required for these foods (e.g., pork chops must be heated to 180° F). These foods must be heated in a covered container, stirred or rotated frequently to ensure even heating. After microwaving, the food must stand in its covered container for at least two minutes before removal and serving to allow the entire food to complete heating.

Reheating Certain Foods
CURFFL, Section 113998

When foods that promote rapid bacteria growth such as soups, stews, sauces, potatoes, beans, rice, cooked vegetables, foods containing meat, poultry, or fish that were previously cooked are reheated, special care must be given to reheat them adequately. An internal temperature of at least 165° F is necessary to kill bacteria that can grow as food cools. (Rapid food cooling is necessary to prevent bacteria growth.) This section does not apply to canned foods or foods that were previously cooked in a USDA plant. These foods need to be heated as required to make them suitable for serving. However, if these foods are heated at the food facility but not served and then cooled, they must then be heated to 165° F prior to serving them to a customer.

More Information...

If you need assistance, or have questions about safe cooking temperatures, please contact Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services at (805) 681-4925 or e-mail your question to Vivian@co.santa-barbara.ca.us .

Home Our Programs FAQs Our Fees Your InspectorForms Links
Office Locations/Directions Ocean Monitoring Results Guide for New Restaurants