Question

The only way to reduce pathogens in food to safe levels is to cook it to its minimum internal temperature and hold that temperature for a specific amount of time.

a) True
b) False

Answer 1

The claim that cooking is the only way to reduce pathogens in food is false. Several methods contribute to food safety, including refrigeration to slow bacterial growth, commercial sterilization, handwashing, and pasteurization, which uses heat to reduce, but not eliminate, microbes in food.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that the only way to reduce pathogens in food to safe levels is to cook it to its minimum internal temperature and hold that temperature for a specific amount of time is false. There are several methods of reducing pathogens in food, including but not limited to, cooking. For example, refrigeration can slow down microbial growth, and food sterilization procedures such as commercial sterilization target common pathogens like C. botulinum. Moreover, proper handwashing, the use of food thermometers to ensure adequate cooking temperatures, refrigeration, and methods like pasteurization play crucial roles in ensuring food safety.

Killing certain pathogens like C. botulinum endospores requires temperatures that can only be reached in a pressure canner, while pasteurization uses lower temperatures to delay spoilage by reducing microbial numbers, without making the food completely sterile. Foods, especially those that are perishable, should not be stored at room temperature for extended periods, as bacterial growth can proliferate, potentially making food unsafe even after re-heating.