Would the new cooking temperature also destroy bird flu (avian influenza)?
Yes, the new internal temperature for poultry of 165°F will destroy the avian influenza virus, along with other pathogens of importance in poultry, such as Campylobacter jejuni . Will UWEX and WNEP teaching materials be changed to reflect this new temperature? Efforts will be made over the upcoming weeks and months to edit our teaching materials to reflect this new cooking recommendation. Some already-published curricula which can not be easily edited will continue to reflect the higher cooking temperatures. Since these higher temperatures will also ensure safety and may, in some circumstances, better reflect consumer preference, having the higher temperatures reflected in our outreach materials should not pose a problem for consumers.
