Safe cooking temperatures in Australia: why 75°C matters, how to probe food correctly, recognised time-temperature combinations, and per-food notes for…
In Australia, the widely used guide is to cook potentially hazardous food until the centre reaches 75°C, measured with a probe thermometer in the thickest part. At 75°C, most food-poisoning bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli are quickly destroyed. Recognised time-and-temperature combinations (for example 70°C held for two minutes) can achieve the same result, so always confirm what your food safety program requires and check with your council or state regulator. Key takeaways: Cook potentially hazardous food to a core temperature of 75°C as a simple, reliable target.. Measure the centre of the thickest part with a clean, calibrated probe thermometer — never guess by colour or time alone.. Lower temperatures held for longer (such as 70°C for about two minutes) can be equally effective, provided you hold the time and document it.. Poultry, mince, sausages, rolled roasts and reformed/needled meats must be cooked thoroughly all the way through.. Reheat cooked food rapidly to 75°C, and confirm specific requirements with your food safety program, council or state regulator.. Why 75°C is the go-to cooking temperature Cooking works as a food safety control because heat destroys the bacteria that cause food poisoning. A core temperature of 75°C is the figure most Australian regulators and food safety programs promote because it reliably destroys common pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria and E. coli very quickly, with a sensible safety margin built in. It is easy to teach, easy to check and works across most cooked dishes. Note that some consumer guidance also accepts 70°C in the centre for many foods, while reserving 75°C for higher-risk items such as poultry and minced or rolled meats. 75°C in the centre is a single, memorable target for staff. It gives a safety margin above the point where vegetative bacteria are destroyed. It applies to cooking, and to reheating previously cooked food. Temperature and time work together 75°C is a guide, not the only safe option. Bacteria are destroyed by a combination of temperature and time: a lower temperature held for longer can be just as effective as a higher temperature reached briefly. This principle is well established in food science and is reflected in FSANZ and state food safety guidance. If you rely on a lower temperature, you must hold it for the corresponding time and document it — always confirm the combination your food safety program specifies before doing so. 75°C in the centre — effectively instant destruction of vegetative bacteria. 70°C held for about 2 minutes — a commonly cited equivalent. 65°C held for about 10 minutes — a lower-temperature equivalent. Sous-vide and slow cooking rely on these combinations, so document the temperature and holding time you use, and confirm they suit the food. Cooking is not the same as sterilising Reaching 75°C destroys the live (vegetative) bacteria that cause most food poisoning, but it does not destroy every heat-stable toxin or bacterial spore. Some bacteria, such as Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus, form spores that survive normal cooking and can grow again if food is left in the temperature danger zone (5°C–60°C). That is why safe cooking must be paired with rapid cooling, correct hot holding at 60°C or above, and proper reheating. How to probe food correctly A probe thermometer is the only reliable way to confirm a core temperature — colour, texture and cooking time are not proof, especially for poultry and thick cuts. Insert a clean, sanitised probe into the centre of the thickest part, avoiding bone, fat and the pan, and wait for the reading to stabilise before recording it. Standard 3.2.2A generally requires food service and related businesses to have a temperature-measuring device accurate to plus or minus 1°C, so keeping your probe calibrated matters. Insert the probe into the thickest part or geometric centre. Avoid touching bone, gristle or the cooking surface. Wait for the display to settle, then read. Clean and sanitise the probe between different foods to avoid cross-contamination. Calibrate regularly against iced water (0°C) and boiling water (100°C, adjusted for altitude). Per-food notes Different foods carry different risks, and some must always be cooked right through rather than served rare. When in doubt, cook to 75°C in the centre. Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck): always cook to 75°C throughout — never serve pink; high Salmonella and Campylobacter risk. Mince, sausages, rissoles, rolled roasts and reformed/needled meats: cook thoroughly to the centre, because bacteria are mixed through, not just on the surface. Whole intact cuts of beef and lamb (steaks, whole roasts): surface searing can control surface bacteria, so these may be served rarer at the customer's request — but the outside must be well seared, and this is a business risk decision. Pork: cook thoroughly; 75°C in the centre is a safe, simple guide (some guidance accepts 70°C for whole cuts, rested). Seafood and fish: cook until it reaches 75°C or the flesh is opaque and flakes; take extra care with high-risk molluscs such as oysters. Eggs and egg dishes: cook until firm; take particular care with raw or lightly cooked egg products served to vulnerable groups. Leftovers and pre-cooked food: reheat rapidly to 75°C before hot holding or serving. Reheating safely Reheating is a common weak point. Food that was cooked, cooled and stored must be reheated rapidly so it passes through the danger zone quickly and reaches 75°C in the centre. Use a stovetop, oven or microwave that can heat fast — a bain-marie or hot-holding unit is designed to hold food at 60°C or above, not to reheat cold food. Reheat only what you need, and do not reheat the same food repeatedly. Checklist: Probe thermometer clean, sanitised and calibrated (accurate to about plus or minus 1°C). High-risk foods reaching 75°C in the centre (or a documented equivalent). Poultry, mince, sausages and rolled/reformed me
How to cook food to a safe temperature
Aim for 75°C in the centre of the food, or a documented equivalent time-and-temperature combination such as 70°C held for about two minutes.
Cook until juices run clear (for poultry) and the food is steaming hot throughout, then verify — appearance alone is never proof.
Insert a clean, calibrated probe thermometer into the centre of the thickest section, avoiding bone, fat and the pan.
Wait for the reading to stabilise. If it is below 75°C (and you are not using a documented longer-time combination), keep cooking and re-check.
Log the reading for high-risk cooking and reheating so you can demonstrate the control worked. A digital log timestamps entries and flags out-of-range readings.
Wash and sanitise the probe before using it on another food to prevent cross-contamination.
Frequently asked questions
Do I always have to reach 75°C?
75°C in the centre is a simple, reliable guide, but it is not the only safe option. Recognised food safety guidance also accepts equivalent time-and-temperature combinations, such as 70°C held for about two minutes or 65°C for about ten minutes, which achieve a similar reduction in bacteria. If you use a lower temperature, you must hold it for the corresponding time and document it. Confirm the combination your food safety program allows.
Can I serve a steak rare in Australia?
Generally yes, for whole intact cuts of beef or lamb, because harmful bacteria are usually on the surface and are destroyed by searing the outside. This does not apply to poultry, pork, mince, sausages or rolled roasts, which must be cooked right through. Serving rare food is a business risk decision — check your food safety program and be cautious with vulnerable customers such as the elderly, pregnant women and young children.
How do I know my thermometer is accurate?
Calibrate it regularly. Check it in an iced-water slurry, where it should read close to 0°C, and in boiling water, where it should read close to 100°C (adjusting for altitude). Standard 3.2.2A generally expects the device to be accurate to about plus or minus 1°C; if it is out by more than that, recalibrate or replace it. An inaccurate probe gives false confidence, so calibration is part of the control.
What temperature should I reheat food to?
Reheat previously cooked food rapidly until the centre reaches 75°C, then hold it at 60°C or above for service. Reheat only what you need, using equipment that heats quickly such as a stovetop, oven or microwave — not a bain-marie, which is designed for holding. Avoid reheating the same food more than once, and confirm your program's specific requirement.
Does cooking to 75°C make food completely safe?
Cooking to 75°C destroys the live bacteria that cause most food poisoning, but it does not remove every risk. Some bacteria form heat-resistant spores, and some toxins are heat-stable, so they can survive cooking. That is why safe cooking must be combined with rapid cooling, cold storage at 5°C or below, hot holding at 60°C or above, and good hygiene.
Do I need to record cooking temperatures?
It depends on your business and food safety program. Recording is not mandated in every situation, but under Standard 3.2.2A many higher-risk food businesses must be able to substantiate that their controls work. Cooking and reheating records are the simplest way to demonstrate this, and inspectors often ask to see them. Confirm what applies to you with your council or state regulator.