FoodSafety.gov offers the following information to make sure you take the risk out of eating animal products:
• Remember, you can’t tell whether meat is safely cooked by looking at it. Any cooked uncured red meats—including pork—can be pink, even when the meat has reached a safe internal temperature.
Why the Rest Time Is Important
After you remove meat from the grill, oven, or other heat source, allow it to rest for the specified amount of time. During the rest time, the meat’s temperature remains constant or continues to rise, destroying harmful germs in the process.
Ground Meat & Meat Mixtures
• Ground beef, pork, veal, lamb: 160 degrees F; no rest time required
• Ground turkey, chicken: 165 degrees F; no rest time required
Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb
• Steaks, roasts, chops: 145 degrees F; rest time of 3 minutes
Poultry
• Chicken and turkey, whole poultry breasts, roasts; poultry thighs, legs, and wings; duck and goose stuffing (cooked alone or in the bird): 165 degrees F; no rest time required
Pork and Ham
• Fresh pork and fresh ham (raw): 145 degrees F; rest time of 3 minutes
• Precooked ham (to reheat): 140 degrees F; no rest time required
Eggs and Egg Dishes
• Eggs: Cook until yolk and white are firm, no rest time required
• Egg dishes: 160 degrees F; no rest time required
Leftovers and Casseroles
• Leftover and casseroles: 165 degrees F; no rest time required
Seafood
• Fin fish: 145 degrees F, or cook until flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork; no rest time required
• Shrimp, lobster, and crabs: Cook until flesh is pearly and opaque; no rest time required
• Clams, oysters, and mussels: Cook until shells open during cooking; no rest time required
• Scallops: Cook until flesh is milky white or opaque and firm; no rest time required
Source: FoodSafety.gov
