The keys to basic food safety are cooking it to the right temperature and storing it properly.

Foods are properly cooked when they are heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Properly storing foods preserves food quality and prevents both spoilage and food poisoning. Consult the easy-to-read charts below to learn how to cook and store your food the right way.

• Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures: Cook all food to these minimum internal temperatures as measured with a food thermometer for safety.
• Cold Food Storage Chart: Storage guidelines for home-refrigerated foods to keep them from spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat.
• Meat and Poultry Charts: Use these timetables to determine how long to cook meat & poultry products. Times are approximate.
• Food Safety in a Disaster or Emergency: How to keep food safe during and after an emergency, such as a flood, fire, national disaster, or the loss of power.

Follow the guidelines below for storing food in the refrigerator and freezer. The short time limits for home-refrigerated foods will help keep them from spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat. The guidelines for freezer storage are for quality only—frozen foods stored continuously at 0 °F or below can be kept indefinitely.

Refrigerated Food and Power Outages: When to Save It and When to Throw It Out

As the USDA notes in Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency, your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers after 4 hours without power.

After a power outage never taste food to determine its safety. You will have to evaluate each item separately—use this chart as a guide. When in Doubt, Throw it Out!

Frozen Food and Power Outages: When to Save It and When to Throw It Out

A full freezer will hold a safe temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full and the door remains closed). Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F or below, however, its quality may suffer. Never taste food to determine its safety. Use this chart as a general guide.

Raw meat and poultry should always be cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature. Always use a food thermometer to assure that meat and poultry have reached a safe minimum internal temperature. When roasting meat and poultry, set the oven temperature to 325 °F or higher. Explore the charts below to learn how to get great results every time you cook.

Note: The information on this page does not include foods containing ground meat and poultry, including meatloaf and sausage. Check the safe minimum internal temperature chart for safe cooking temperatures and rest times for all meat and poultry, seafood, and other cooked foods.

Meat Charts

Beef, Lamb, Pork and Veal Roasting Chart

Ham Cooking Chart

Poultry Charts

Poultry Roasting Chart

The times shown below are for unstuffed poultry. Add 15 to 30 minutes for stuffed birds. The internal temperature should reach 165 °F in the center of the stuffing.

Turkey Roasting Time by Size

Turkey Thawing Time

Follow the guidelines below for how to cook raw meat, poultry, seafood, and other foods to a safe minimum internal temperature. Always use a food thermometer to check whether meat has reached a safe minimum internal temperature that is hot enough to kill harmful germs that cause food poisoning.

Some meats also need rest time after cooking. Rest time is important for certain meats because it allows the innermost parts and juices of the meats to become fully and safely cooked.

Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart for Cooking