Md. Code Regs. 10.15.03.10 - Food Preparation - Cooking

A. Except as provided in §§B-D of this regulation, the person-in-charge shall ensure that potentially hazardous food is cooked to the minimum internal temperature and for the specified holding time as follows:

(1) Chart 1. Summary of Minimum Cooking and Reheating Food Temperatures and Holding Times.

FOOD	MINIMUM INTERNAL TEMPERATURE		HOLDING TIME AT SPECIFIED TEMPERATURE
	°F	°C
Shell eggs. Fish, meat, and all other potentially hazardous foods not specified in Chart 1.	145	63	15 seconds
Shell eggs not prepared for immediate service, ratites, comminuted fish and meats, game animals commercially raised for food, and injected meats.	145	63	3 minutes
	or
	150	66	1 minute
	or
	155	68	15 seconds
	or
	158	70	< 1 second
Whole roasts (beef, corned beef, pork and cured pork roasts such as ham). Holding time may include post oven heat rise. Minimum oven temperature for roasts greater than 10 pounds is 250°F for dry heat. For roasts less than 10 pounds, minimum oven temperatures are 350°F for dry heat and 325°F for convection ovens. Oven temperature may be 250°F or less for high humidity cooking (relative humidity greater that 90 percent for at least 1 hour or in a moisture impermeable bag that provides 100 percent humidity).	130	54.4	112 minutes
	or
	131	55	89 minutes
	or
	133	56.1	56 minutes
	or
	135	57.2	36 minutes
	or
	136	57.8	28 minutes
	or
	138	58.9	18 minutes
	or
	140	60	12 minutes
	or
	142	61.1	8 minutes
	or
	144	62.2	5 minutes
	or
	145	62.8	4 minutes
	or
	147	63.9	134 seconds
	or
	151	66.1	54 seconds
	or
	155	68.3	22 seconds
	or
	158	70	none
Poultry; stuffed meat, pasta, or poultry, and exotic bird species; wild game animals; and stuffing containing fish, meat, or poultry. Reheat of leftovers for hot holding.	165	74	15 seconds
Raw foods of animal origin cooked in a microwave oven.	165	74	Hold for 2 minutes after removing from microwave oven.
Fruits and vegetables cooked for hot holding.	135	57	None
Ready-to-eat commercially processed foods for immediate service.	None	None

(2) A minimum internal temperature of 145°F for 15 seconds for:

(a) Shell eggs prepared for immediate service;

(b) Fish;

(c) Meat; and

(d) All other potentially hazardous food not specified in §A(3)-(7) of this regulation;

(3) A minimum internal temperature of 155°F for 15 seconds or as specified in §A(1) of this regulation for:

(a) Shell eggs not prepared for immediate service;

(b) Ratites;

(c) Comminuted fish and meats;

(d) Game animals commercially raised for food; and

(e) Injected meats;

(4) A minimum internal temperature of 130°F for 112 minutes or as specified in §A(1) of this chapter for:

(a) Whole or corned beef; and

(b) Pork and cured pork roasts;

(5) A minimum internal temperature of 165°F for 15 seconds for:

(a) Poultry;

(b) Stuffed meat, pasta, or poultry;

(c) Exotic bird species;

(d) Wild game animals; and

(e) Stuffing containing fish, meat, or poultry;

(6) A minimum internal temperature of 165°F and held for 2 minutes after removing from the oven for raw animal foods that are cooked in a microwave oven; and

(7) A minimum internal temperature of 135°F for fruits and vegetables cooked for hot holding.

B. The Department may approve cooking times and temperatures other than those specified in §A of this regulation, if the cooking times and temperatures are scientifically proven to the Department to be as effective in killing foodborne pathogens as those specified in §A of this regulation.

C. The person-in-charge may serve a consumer:

(1) Undercooked seared beefsteak when:

(a) Only whole muscle, intact beefsteak, is prepared;

(b) The meat is seared continuously on both top and bottom utilizing a heating environment that:

(i) Imparts a temperature at the surface of the intact steak of at least 145°F for 15 seconds; and

(ii) Achieves a cooked color change on all external surfaces; and

(c) A HACCP plan specifically developed for undercooked seared beefsteak is submitted and approved by the approving authority; and

(2) A food that is cooked, cooled, and then refrigerated in accordance with this chapter, such as roast beef for a sandwich, cold or warmed to any desired temperature for immediate consumption.

D. A health care facility may not serve a raw or undercooked animal food.

E. Repealed.

F. The person-in-charge shall ensure that a consumer advisory is issued when an animal food, such as beef, eggs, fish, lamb, pork, poultry, or shellfish, is served raw or undercooked by:

(1) Providing a written notification on:

(a) A menu or brochure;

(b) A deli case or menu board;

(c) A label statement;

(d) A table tent or placard; or

(e) Another written means that is visible and legible to the consumer;

(2) Identifying food items on the items set forth in §F(1) of this regulation with an asterisk to a footnote that states the item:

(a) Is served raw;

(b) Is served undercooked;

(c) May be cooked to order upon specific consumer request; or

(d) Contains raw or undercooked ingredients; and

(3) Providing this written statement: "Consuming raw or undercooked animal foods may increase your risk of contracting a foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions."

Notes

Md. Code Regs. 10.15.03.10

Regulation .10 amended effective March 4, 1991 (18:4 Md. R. 447); February 15, 1993 (20:3 Md. R. 259); October 6, 1997 (24:20 Md. R. 1403)
Regulations .10 adopted effective December 17, 2007 (34:25 Md. R. 2211)
Regulation .10 amended effective March 19, 2010 (37:4 Md. R. 341); amended effective 43:03 Md. R. 272, eff.2/15/2016