Increase the proportion of people who cook food to a safe temperature — FS‑09

Status: Baseline only

  
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Baseline only

Most Recent Data:
42.0 percent (2016)

Target:
47.0 percent

Desired Direction:
Increase desired

Baseline:
42.0 percent of consumers correctly followed the recommendation to use a food thermometer when cooking meat and poultry in 2016

Increase the proportion of consumers who follow the key food safety practice of "Cook: cook to the safe internal temperature"

Target-Setting Method
Percentage point improvement

Data Source:  Food Safety Survey, FDA


Summary

Making sure meat, poultry, and other foods are fully cooked is an important way to improve food safety. Using a food thermometer helps make sure foods reach an internal temperature high enough to kill harmful germs. Educating people about the importance of using a food thermometer when cooking is critical for preventing diseases caused by contaminated food.

Workgroup: Food Safety Workgroup