At what temperature should chicken and poultry (ground or whole) be cooked to ensure safety?

Cooking chicken and poultry to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit is essential for food safety. This temperature effectively kills harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, which are often present in raw poultry and can lead to foodborne illnesses. The USDA recommends this temperature for all poultry products, including ground poultry and whole chickens, to ensure that they are safe to eat.

Cooking poultry to 165 degrees also ensures that all parts of the bird reach this critical temperature, eliminating any risk of undercooked sections that could harbor pathogens. Achieving this temperature can be verified with a food thermometer, which is an essential tool in the kitchen to prevent foodborne illness.

While other temperatures, such as 145 or 160 degrees, may be safe for different types of meats, they do not meet the specific requirements for poultry, so they would not provide the same level of assurance against foodborne pathogens.