What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for raw eggs not prepared for immediate service?

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Use a Thermometer
Cooking Temperature Requirements
Microwaving
What is the minimum safe cooking temperature for shell eggs that will be held for service?
What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for ready to eat?
What temperature is too cold for eggs?

Harmful contaminants cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted. That’s why it’s important to cook food to a safe internal cooking temperature to avoid illness. The minimum internal temperature at which pathogens are destroyed depends upon the type of food.

Use a Thermometer

Use a clean, sanitized thermometer to measure the temperature by placing the thermometer in the thickest part of the food. In sauces and stews, insert the thermometer at least two inches into the food. Be sure to calibrate thermometers regularly by inserting into a mixture of ice and water and adjusting the reading to 32°F/ 0°C. Thermometers that have been dropped or exposed to extreme temperatures should be recalibrated.

To ensure the food products being cooked are safe for consumption, use these temperature guidelines.

Cooking Temperature Requirements

Minimum internal temperature of 165℉ (74℃) for less than 1 second applies to:

Poultry - including whole or ground chicken, turkey, or duck.
Stuffing made with TCS (Temperature Control for Safety)ingredients.
Stuffed meat, seafood, poultry, or pasta.
Dishes that include previously cooked, TCS ingredients (raw ingredients should be cooked to their minimum internal temperatures).

Minimum internal temperature of 155℉ (68℃) for 17 seconds applies to:

Ground meat—including beef, pork, and other meat.
Injected meat—including brined ham and flavor-injected roasts.
Mechanically tenderized meat.
Ground seafood—including chopped or minced seafood.
Eggs that will be hot-held for service.

Minimum internal temperature of 145℉ (63℃) for 15 seconds applies to:

Seafood—including fish, shellfish, and crustaceans.
Steaks/chops of pork, beef, veal, and lamb.
Eggs that will be served immediately.

Minimum internal temperature of 145℉ (63℃) for 4 minutes applies to:

Roasts of pork, beef, veal, and lamb.
Minimum internal temperature of 135℉ (57℃) applies to:
Commercially processed, ready-to-eat-food that will be hot-held for service (cheese sticks, deep-fried vegetables).
Fruit, vegetables, grains (rice, pasta), and legumes (beans, refried beans) that will be hot-held for service.

Microwaving

When cooking with a microwave oven, the Food Code requires that all potentially hazardous foods containing meat, poultry, fish, or eggs shall be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165ºF. Other guidelines to follow when microwaving food include covering the food; rotating or stirring it halfway through the cooking process to compensate for uneven heat distribution; checking the temperature in at least two places to make sure the food is cooked thoroughly; and allowing food to stand covered for two minutes after cooking to obtain temperature equilibrium.

While cooking food to the appropriate temperature reduces pathogens, it does not destroy the spores or toxins those pathogens may have produced. This is why safe food handling prior to cooking is also very important.

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The Egg Safety Center represents commercial egg producers, which follow the FDA Egg Safety Rule and state/federal regulatory programs.

Back to Egg Answers

Adequate cooking brings eggs to a temperature high enough to destroy bacteria that might be present in the egg yolk or egg white. Egg white coagulates at 144-149° F, yolk coagulates at 149-158° F, and whole eggs coagulate at 144-158° F. A food thermometer is an invaluable tool to quickly check for the right temperature.

Egg Dish	Safe Temperature*	Guidelines for Doneness
Omelets, frittatas and recipes with added liquid	160 °	Eggs will be thickened with no visible liquid egg remaining.
Scrambled eggs, fried eggs over easy, over hard, and basted	144-158°	Cook until whites are completely set, and the yolks begin to thicken but are not hard.
Egg white omelet	144-149°	Cook until no visible liquid egg remains.
Poached eggs	144-158°	Cook until the whites are completely set, and the yolks begin to thicken but are not hard (about 5 minutes in simmering water, or 6-9 minutes in poaching inserts).
Hard-boiled eggs	Eggs will reach temperature of 160° if properly cooked.	Place large eggs in sauce pan with cold water. Bring eggs to boil and cover. Remove from heat. Let eggs sit for 12 minutes for large eggs. ((9 minutes for medium eggs; 15 minutes for extra-large eggs)
Baked Custards, quiches, casseroles, French toast, stratas	160°	Cook until a thin-blade knife inserted near the center of the dish comes out clean. If knife is clean, then the dish is done. If any of the dish sticks to the blade, bake a few minutes longer and test again.
Stirred custards, eggnog, ice-cream bases	Cook egg mixture to 160°	Cook over low heat until thick enough to coat a metal spoon with a thin film about 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate to chill thoroughly, at least an hour.
Pie meringues	144-149°	Bake meringue at 325° for 20-30 minutes for soft meringue. The more egg whites, the lower the oven temperature, and the longer cooking time.

What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for eggs that will be hot-held for service? 155 degrees F (68 degrees C) for 15 seconds.

What is the minimum safe cooking temperature for shell eggs that will be held for service?

145°F
Cooking and Serving Cook raw shell eggs that are broken for immediate preparation and service to heat all parts of the food to a temperature of 63°C (145°F) or above for 15 seconds.

What temperature do eggs need to be cooked to for immediate service?

Raw eggs cooked to order (e.g., eggs over medium) are required to be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F for 15 seconds. Raw eggs, and foods containing raw eggs, not prepared for immediate service must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F for 15 seconds.

What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for scrambled eggs that will be held on a heated buffet table?

Add the eggs to the amount of liquid called for in the recipe, then heat the mixture until it reaches 160 °F on a food thermometer.

What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for ready to eat?

135℉
Minimum internal temperature of 135℉ (57℃) applies to: Commercially processed, ready-to-eat-food that will be hot-held for service (cheese sticks, deep-fried vegetables).

What temperature is too cold for eggs?

The zone of cold injury or death: Below 29°F or -2°C. Although eggs contain a great deal of water, they can get colder than 32°F/0°C without freezing. However, eggs that reach 29°F will freeze, which usually causes death.

What foods become toxic in less than 4 hours if in the temperature danger zone?

Types of Potentially Hazardous Foods

Milk and dairy products.
Eggs (except those treated to eliminate microorganisms)
Meat (beef, pork and lamb)
Poultry.
Fish and shellfish.
Baked Potatoes.
Heat-treated plant foods (rice, beans, and vegetables)
Tofu and other soy proteins.

What is the minimum internal cooking temperature and holding time for prime rib?

For optimal flavor and texture, cook prime rib to medium rare or an internal temperature of 130-135°F. Ideally, you want to remove the meat from the oven or grill when the temperature reaches 120-125°F (rare) and let it rest for about 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.