Q:

If cooked meat and poultry look pink, does it mean that the food is not done?


 A:

The color of cooked meat and poultry is not a sure sign of its degree of doneness. For instance, hamburgers and fresh pork can remain pink even after cooking to temperatures of 160° F (71° C) or higher. The meat of smoked turkey is always pink because components within the smoke bind to the muscle pigment to form a stable pink pigment. Only by using a food thermometer can you accurately determine that meat has reached a safe internal temperature.


 

Source: Excerpted from FDA/CFSAN Food Safety A to Z Reference Guide, September 2001
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