Our sources

The safe minimum temperatures on this site follow official food-safety guidance. Doneness temperatures reflect standard culinary practice and are a matter of preference, not safety.

Official food-safety guidance

• Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. The source of the safe minimums in our chart, including the 3-minute rest for whole cuts.
• Cooking food safely — GOV.UK. UK guidance: a core temperature of 70°C for 2 minutes, or an equivalent time and temperature combination.
• Cooking safely in your business — UK Food Standards Agency. More detail on safe cooking temperatures and checking food with a probe.

How we use them

Where US and UK guidance differ, our chart shows the USDA figure; the UK advice is summarised above. If you cook for a business in the UK, follow Food Standards Agency guidance and your local authority's advice.

Guidance is reviewed periodically. If you notice that an official figure has changed, please let us know through the Contact page.