What Temperature Kills Bacteria in Food? Cooking, Freezing & Cleaning

The UK standard for safe cooking is a core temperature of 75C, which kills virtually all vegetative pathogenic bacteria instantly. The equivalent standard of 70C held for 2 minutes achieves the same level of destruction through slightly lower heat applied for longer. Both are accepted by the Food Standards Agency and Environmental Health Officers. For most food business operators, aiming for 75C core temperature is simpler to verify with a probe thermometer than trying to hold 70C for exactly 2 minutes. These temperatures are sufficient to destroy Salmonella, E. coli O157, Campylobacter, and Listeria monocytogenes in their vegetative form. In Scotland, the reheating standard is higher at 82C, and food must reach this temperature when being reheated for service. Some specific foods have additional requirements: whole poultry should reach 75C in the thickest part of the thigh, and minced or reformed meat products need particular attention because bacteria from the surface can be mixed throughout during processing.

Freezing at -18C stops bacterial growth completely but does not kill bacteria. When food is thawed, surviving bacteria resume activity. This is why thawing must happen under controlled conditions, either in the fridge at 5C or below, or under cold running water, never at room temperature. Some parasites, such as Anisakis in raw fish, are killed by freezing at -20C for at least 24 hours, which is why sushi-grade fish requires a freeze step. On the cleaning side, dishwashers typically operate at 55C to 65C during the wash cycle with a final rinse at 82C or above, which provides thermal sanitisation. Chemical sanitisers used in manual washing work at lower temperatures but must be used according to manufacturer instructions for contact time and concentration. Hot water sanitisation (above 82C) is preferred for surfaces that come into direct contact with ready-to-eat food because it leaves no chemical residue. Understanding that temperature control extends beyond cooking into every aspect of your operation is what separates good food safety management from simply following recipes.