A cook prepares a large beef roast. What is the acceptable minimum internal temperature and hold time for a whole-muscle roast cooked in an oven (using an approved time-temperature combination)?
a.165°F for 15 seconds (the minimum required for any cut of beef)
b.155°F for 17 seconds, because a roast is treated like ground beef
c.145°F for 4 minutes (or an approved lower-temp/longer-time combination)
d.135°F for 4 minutes, since a roast goes straight to hot holding
Explanation
Whole-muscle roasts may be cooked to 145°F held for 4 minutes, or to an approved lower temperature held for a longer time, because the interior of an intact roast has few bacteria. The other combinations belong elsewhere: 165°F is for poultry and stuffed foods, 155°F for 17 seconds is for ground meat, which a whole-muscle roast is not, and 135°F is a hot-holding minimum, never a cook temperature for a roast.
Law Reference: FDA Food Code §3-401.11Practice all 500 questions free — no signup required.
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