Final answer:
Raw ground beef and pork should be cooked to 155 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 17 seconds. This ensures safety by destroying harmful bacteria and preventing foodborne illnesses. Proper temperature controls are crucial for hot and cold foods to prevent bacterial growth.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to food safety guidelines, raw ground beef and pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit and hold at that temperature for at least 17 seconds before serving. This is to ensure that any harmful bacteria present in the meat are destroyed, greatly reducing the risk of foodborne illness. The critical temperatures at which bacteria grow most rapidly are between 4 and 60 degrees C (40 and 140 degrees F), so it's important that cooked roasts, steaks, chops, and fully cooked ham are not left in this 'danger zone' for more than two hours to prevent bacterial growth.
Foods intended to be served hot should be maintained at temperature until consumption to ensure safety and quality. Likewise, cold foods must be kept refrigerated. For reheating of foods, they must reach the right temperature quickly enough to minimize the time they spend in the danger zone. Preserving techniques like salting, pickling, drying, and smoking, such as in pork thermometer practices, are also important in extending the shelf life of proteins and preventing spoilage.