Food prep

[bunsen_h]

I've noticed that a lot of the ready-to-cook food items now carry warnings about how well-cooked the food has to be to be safe.

But how do I measure the internal temperature of, say, ravioli immersed in boiling water, to make sure that it's at least 74°C?  (Just 73° wouldn't be safe.  Or just waiting until it floats and has a reasonable texture for eating.)  Or the internal temperature of a pizza in the oven?  These would be tricky to measure even with the resources of a well-equipped lab.
 

Comments

[pameladean]

I too have puzzled over this problem. My mock chicken patty that cannot be cooked in the microwave longer than a mintue and five seconds lest the edges turn as hard as a rock must reach, I am informed, an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Uh-huh.

I'd be more worried if I were dealing with animal products, but as it is I mostly roll my eyes a lot. I suspect they are trying to avoid liability issues.

P.

[bunsen-h.livejournal.com]

I suspect they are trying to avoid liability issues.

I imagine so. If someone became ill after eating a product, rather than deal with "but how do you know that it was our product that made you sick?", they have another out: "Well, we warned you that it was unsafe unless it was heated to blahblah degrees; was it that hot? How do you know?"

I have the same reaction as you re: vegetable (vs. animal) products. I know that pastes and things with undercooked eggs are a risk, but I tend to assume that if a dish was well-cooked and has been largely undisturbed since it was still quite hot, it's probably safe for a little while at room temperature.

[pameladean]

'Cause it's so easy to stick a meat thermometer into a veggie patty, yeah.

I think just about anything is deemed safe at room temperature for two hours, and some things for longer. I tend to be a little cavalier about vegan stuff that I cooked myself, as long as I did cook it thoroughly, but I get very paranoid about eggs.

P.