Doneness temperature lookup — official safe internal temperatures
Pick a protein and cut type below. You get the official safe internal temperature — in °F or °C — plus the official rest-time rule, Health Canada's figure where it differs, the UK Food Standards Agency framing, and a direct link to the agency page each number came from. Nothing on this page is estimated, averaged, or re-rounded.
Key takeaways
- US poultry rule is one number: 165 °F (73.9 °C) — whole birds, parts, ground, giblets and stuffing.
- Whole-muscle beef, pork, veal and lamb: 145 °F (62.8 °C) + 3-minute rest; ground meats: 160 °F (71.1 °C).
- US and Canadian numbers differ for whole birds (165 °F vs 82 °C/180 °F) — the tool shows both.
- °C values appear exactly as each agency prints them (FSIS 73.9 °C vs FoodSafety.gov 74 °C, for example).
Methodology: why official numbers only
TempChart's brand is accuracy, so the tool embeds data from exactly five official sources and nothing else: the USDA FSIS Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, the FoodSafety.gov joint-agency chart (operated by HHS with FDA, USDA and CDC), the UK Food Standards Agency's "Cooking your food" guidance, Health Canada's safe cooking temperatures table, and the USDA's May 2011 announcement that set the 145 °F (62.8 °C) + 3-minute pork standard. If an agency prints no number for a food (shrimp, clams, runny-yolk eggs), the tool says so instead of inventing one.
Two display rules follow from this. First, °F and °C are shown exactly as printed: FSIS writes 165 °F (73.9 °C) and 145 °F (62.8 °C); FoodSafety.gov writes 74 °C and 63 °C; Health Canada writes 74 °C (165 °F). Where those differ, both appear, attributed — a rounded-looking number is never silently substituted for an exact one. Second, where jurisdictions genuinely disagree — US 165 °F for whole birds vs Canada's 82 °C (180 °F), or US 145 °F pork vs Canada's 71 °C (160 °F) — the tool shows both rather than averaging them. Follow the agency for where you live.
A note on FSIS's consumer Q&A service: the old "AskKaren" system has been succeeded by ask.fsis.usda.gov, which confirms the same 145 °F (62.8 °C) whole-cut / 160 °F (71.1 °C) ground / 165 °F (73.9 °C) poultry numbers used here.
Finally: thermometers beat pop-up timers. FSIS's guidance on food thermometers is blunt that pop-up indicators built into turkeys are not reliable substitutes for a calibrated food thermometer. Our thermometer types and calibration guide covers the ice-point and boiling-point checks.
How to use the number you get
Insert the probe into the thickest part of the food, avoiding bone, fat and gristle. For whole poultry FSIS specifies the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing, and the thickest part of the breast. For thin cuts, probe from the side. For large roasts and whole birds, check several spots — ovens heat unevenly, and the "done" reading is the lowest safe number anywhere in the food. Detailed how-to lives in the master temperature chart and the rest-time science guide.
Instant-read thermometer (concept pick)
An instant-read digital probe gives you a stable reading in seconds — exactly what this lookup tool assumes you own. Any brand works if it reads the temps on this page accurately.
Check price →FAQ
Why do the Celsius values sometimes differ slightly between agencies?
USDA FSIS prints exact conversions — 165 °F (73.9 °C), 160 °F (71.1 °C), 145 °F (62.8 °C) — while FoodSafety.gov prints rounded metric values such as 74 °C and 63 °C. Health Canada publishes °C-first numbers. TempChart shows each number exactly as its agency prints it and never re-rounds official values.
Does chicken at 165 °F (73.9 °C) need a rest time?
No. The 3-minute rest applies to whole-muscle cuts at 145 °F (62.8 °C) and raw ham — not poultry. Poultry has no official rest requirement under US guidance.
Why is there no temperature for shrimp or clams?
The official US chart uses visual tests: shrimp, lobster, crab and scallops are done when flesh is pearly or white and opaque; clams, oysters and mussels when the shells open. Health Canada does print 74 °C (165 °F) for shellfish, which the tool also shows.
Which country's numbers should I follow?
The agency where you live. The tool leads with US values, then shows Health Canada and UK FSA framing where they differ. Differences are real — whole birds are 165 °F (73.9 °C) in the US but 82 °C (180 °F) in Canada.
Are pop-up timers good enough?
No. FSIS says pop-up indicators are not reliable; use a food thermometer. See thermometer types and calibration.
Educational reference, not personal medical advice
TempChart republishes official food-safety guidance for home cooks. If you are pregnant, immunocompromised, cooking for young children or elderly people, follow the stricter advice your health authority gives for your situation, and consult a professional for medical concerns.
Related reading
- The complete safe internal temperature chart (all proteins)
- What temp is chicken done? The 165 °F / 73.9 °C rule explained
- Pork at 145 °F: the 2011 USDA change, and how Canada and the UK differ
- Why ground meat has its own 160 °F rule
Sources verified: 2026-11-16. Data embedded from USDA FSIS, FoodSafety.gov, UK FSA, Health Canada. Official numbers only — never rounded.