Free safe cooking temperature guide — core temperatures for poultry, mince, pork, fish and more, plus the FSANZ time/temperature equivalents (75°C, 70°C/2min, 65°C/10min, 60°C/45min).
Poultry such as chicken should be cooked so the core reaches 75C, as it is a higher-risk food. Check the thickest part with a clean probe thermometer rather than judging by colour. Cooking to 75C core reliably reduces harmful bacteria to a safe level.
Cooking potentially hazardous food so the core reaches 75C is a widely used benchmark that reliably reduces harmful bacteria. Equivalent combinations of lower temperatures held for longer can also achieve the same reduction, but 75C core is the simplest target to aim for and check.
Yes. Mincing and processing spreads any surface bacteria through the whole product, so mince, sausages, and rolled or stuffed meats should be cooked to 75C core throughout. A whole cut of intact muscle meat like a steak has bacteria mainly on the surface, so it can be safely served less well done.
They are combinations where holding food at a slightly lower core temperature for a longer time achieves the same bacterial reduction as a higher temperature reached briefly. For example, a lower temperature held for a set number of minutes can be equivalent to 75C reached instantaneously. Use validated equivalents and confirm them for your process.
Use a clean, calibrated probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part or centre of the food, avoiding bone or the pan. Wait for the reading to settle, then compare it against the target. Clean and sanitise the probe between different foods to prevent cross-contamination.
Yes. This guide is a free reference, and FoodSafety HQ can record cooking temperature checks digitally, so staff log core temperatures on a phone, readings below target prompt a corrective action, and the records are stored for inspections as evidence of safe cooking.