One of the most well-liked and practical meats to use in many homes is ground beef. It can be used in many different dishes, including burgers, casseroles, and stews. As with all meat, it’s crucial to properly prepare ground beef so that it’s safe to consume.
In this article, we share some cooking advice for ground beef, including the ideal internal temperature that it should achieve.
Why This Study Was Done
E. Each year, coli, a bacteria frequently found in raw ground beef, causes a large number of foodborne illnesses. These germs are frequently found in ground beef hamburgers. If burgers aren’t properly cooked (to a temperature high enough to kill the germs), they may contain these bacteria that can make people ill. Cross contamination is the term for when these germs spread to other foods or surfaces and cause illness in humans.
We don’t have a lot of information about how ground beef is prepared and cooked in restaurants. We can enhance these procedures and reduce the incidence of foodborne illnesses if we have more knowledge about them.
What the Study Described
We had two reasons to do this study. The first was a description of restaurant ground beef procedures that might
- Undercooking of ground beef. Cooking to less than 155°F was deemed undercooking by us because the U S. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code, restaurants should cook ground beef for 15 seconds at 155°F. Additionally, we investigated whether or not eateries used thermometers to check the final temperatures of hamburgers. By using a thermometer, you can make sure that your ground beef is cooked through.
- Cross contaminating other foods from raw ground beef. This can occur when hands or kitchen tools come into contact with raw ground beef before touching other foods or tools.
The study’s second objective was to assess managers’ familiarity with and utilization of irradiated ground beef. Raw beef that has undergone irradiation treatment to eradicate E coli germs. People may be less likely to become ill from germs in undercooked ground beef or from cross-contamination of germs from raw ground beef if restaurants use irradiated beef instead of untreated ground beef.
What the Study Found
EHS-Net discovered that a lot of restaurants cook beef in ways that might result in undercooking or cross contamination.
Temperature at which ground beef is cooked Eight out of ten managers reported that their staff don’t always use a thermometer to check the final temperature of hamburgers.
Many managers stated that their staff members frequently or always use methods other than thermometers to determine whether hamburgers are ready. They check.
- the color of the hamburger.
- how the hamburger looks.
- how the hamburger feels.
Burgers that were undercooked (cooked to less than 155°F) made up about one in ten.
Cross contamination Workers were observed preparing raw ground beef in many restaurants in a way that might cause cross contamination. Workers.
- contacted raw ground beef without washing their hands before touching other foods (six out of ten restaurants)
- used the same utensil unwashed between using it on raw ground beef and other foods (one in three restaurants)
- used the same utensil for both raw and cooked ground beef (four out of ten restaurants) without washing it in between
- After touching raw ground beef, people (4 out of 10 restaurants) wiped their hands on cloths or aprons.
Workers were observed performing two or more of these activities that could cause cross contamination in more than half of restaurants.
Use of irradiated beef In some regions of the country, irradiated beef was only recently becoming available to restaurants and grocery stores in 2004 when this study was conducted.
- Only 2% of managers said their restaurants have used irradiated ground beef
- A third of managers admitted they are unaware of what irradiated ground beef is.
- Managers claimed that because it is not readily available, they do not use irradiated ground beef. They didn’t know it is available. It costs too much.
Key Terms
- Cross contamination: the transmission of bacteria from one surface or food to another through contact
- E. coli: germ that cause foodborne illness.
- Ground beef that has undergone radiation treatment to eradicate bacteria
Want More Information?
This straightforward summary is based on a scientific article titled Ground Beef Handling and Cooking Practices in Restaurants in Eight States [PDF – 318 KB].
More EHS-Net publications by Study Topic
What Is EHS-Net and Additional Food Safety Study Findings in Simple English?
The Environmental Health Specialists Network (EHS-Net) carried out this study. Environmental health experts and epidemiologists from the federal, state, and local levels collaborate through EHS-Net to better understand the environmental causes of foodborne illness.
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How To Cook Ground Beef
FAQ
Why must ground beef be cooked at 165?
E. coli is killed when ground beef is cooked to 160°F. coli germs rapidly.
Why must ground beef be cooked at 155 F?
The need for thoroughly cooking ground beef stems from the possibility of harmful bacteria being present in meat and poultry products. If food handlers are aware of and follow this simple rule, future cases of foodborne illness may be avoided. Cooking food thoroughly until the internal temperature reaches 160 °F kills E coli O157:H7.
What does the FDA allow in ground beef?
Burgers may contain beef fat, but ground beef cannot. %22 A maximum of 30% fat is allowed in either hamburger or ground beef Seasonings can be added to both hamburger and ground beef, but no water, phosphates, extenders, or binders are permitted.
Why must ground beef be cooked at 1 55?
A minimum internal temperature of 155°F (68°C) must be reached when cooking ground beef to eliminate dangerous bacteria like E coli and Salmonella, are destroyed.