Certified Professional Food Safety (CP-FS) Practice Exam (2)

Poultry must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to ensure food safety. This temperature is crucial because it is high enough to effectively kill harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, which are commonly associated with poultry products. Cooking poultry to this temperature ensures that it is safe to eat and reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses. While lower temperatures can be adequate for cooking other types of meat, poultry requires this higher minimum cooking temperature due to its unique risk factors. The food safety guidelines established by the USDA recommend this temperature, making it a standard for safe poultry preparation in both residential and commercial kitchens. Additionally, using a food thermometer to verify that poultry has reached this temperature in the thickest part of the meat is an effective practice to confirm safety. The other options represent temperatures that do not adequately ensure the destruction of pathogens typically found in poultry. Thus, the importance of reaching the correct cooking temperature cannot be overstated.