Food Safety and Inspection Service
United States Department of Agriculture
Washington, D.C. 20250-3700

News Release

Susan Conley (202) 720-7943
Elizabeth Gaston (202) 720-9113

USDA’s Thermy™ Says "Use A Food Thermometer For Safe Memorial Day Cookouts"

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2001 - Memorial Day cookouts are the first sign of summer's grilling season. But when you head for the grill, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cautions, "Don't forget a food thermometer." Whether you are cooking meat or poultry, use a food thermometer to be sure it’s grilled to a safe temperature.

Statistics show that cases of foodborne illness normally rise during the summer. Bacteria grow faster in the warm summer months. Raw meat and poultry can contain harmful microorganisms capable of causing foodborne illness. Using a food thermometer is the only way to tell if food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy harmful bacteria and if it's the recommended doneness.

However, research shows that less than half the population even owns a food thermometer. And only three percent use one when cooking hamburgers at home. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service created "Thermy™," a new food safety messenger, to educate cooks on food safety and encourage the use of a food thermometer. Links to the Thermy™ site can be found at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Thermy.

"We're using Thermy™ to encourage consumers to use food thermometers throughout the year," said Susan Conley, director of Food Safety Education for FSIS.

"It's very important when grilling outdoors during the warm summer months to fully cook meat products. Thermy™'s message is, ‘It's Safe To Bite When The Temperature Is Right!’ If a food has reached a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria, it is safe to eat," Conley explained.

You can’t judge the doneness of food by looking at its color. Color can be misleading. USDA research shows that one out of every four hamburgers turns brown in the middle before it is safely cooked. Using a food thermometer is the only way to tell if meat and poultry are safely cooked.

Having a food thermometer on hand for the summer is one of the four steps in preventing foodborne illness. The national "Fight BAC!™" campaign advises: cook thoroughly, clean hands and surfaces, separate raw and cooked foods, and chill leftovers promptly. The official home page for the "Fight BAC!™" campaign is: http://www.fightbac.org.

Here are some of the most common grilling topics when consumers call the experts from USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline. The phone number for the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is 1-800-535-4555.

Marinating. Marinate raw meat, fish and poultry in the refrigerator -- not on the counter. To use some of the marinade as a dip or basting sauce later, set aside a portion before adding raw meat or poultry to it. Don't re-use the marinade from raw meat, fish or poultry unless you boil it.

Pre-cooking. Partially cook meat or poultry ahead of time to finish up on the grill only if the food goes immediately from the microwave or range to the hot grill. Partial cooking of food ahead of time allows bacteria to survive and multiply to the point that subsequent cooking cannot destroy them.

Cooking Thoroughly! Use a food thermometer to check for safety and doneness. Roasts, steaks and chops of beef, veal or lamb may be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 °F for medium rare and 160 °F for medium. Fresh pork and farm-raised game meats such as buffalo and venison should reach 160 °F. Whole poultry should reach 180 °F as measured in the thigh. Hamburgers or ground meat should be cooked to 160 °F; ground poultry, to 165 °F.

Serving Grilled Food. Serve hot, grilled foods immediately. Put cooked foods on clean plates that weren't used to hold the raw meat or poultry. Perishable foods should be consumed within two hours, one hour in warm weather when the temperature is above 90 °F.

Cleaning Up. Clean the grill after each use. Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers. If returning home from an outing and perishables were kept cold or on ice, leftovers should be safe.

For more information, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555; Washington D.C. area (202) 720-3333; TTY for the hearing impaired 1-800-256-7072. The Hotline’s hours are Monday-Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern Time, year-round. An extensive selection of timely food safety recordings is also available at the same number 24 hours a day using a touch-tone phone. Information can also be accessed on the Internet at http://www.fsis.usda.gov.

For Further Information, Contact:
FSIS Congressional and Public Affairs Staff
Phone: (202) 720-9113
Fax: (202) 690-0460

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