Safe cooking of burgers

Tuesday 31 July 2007

The Food Standards Agency today reiterated advice on the safe cooking of burgers, following a report from its independent committee of experts on microbiological safety.

The Advisory Committee on Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) report, commissioned by the FSA in September 2004, considered the differences between the recommended cooking conditions for burgers in the US and the more stringent requirements set by the Chief Medical Officer in 1998 in the UK.

Dr Judith Hilton, Head of Microbiological Safety at the FSA, said: 'The current UK advice that burgers should be cooked to 70°C for two minutes or equivalent is upheld by this ACMSF report. Advice to consumers remains the same – to follow manufacturers' instructions and make sure that burgers are piping hot throughout, cooked until the juices run clear and there’s no pink meat inside.'

The report also concluded that use of other time/temperatures combinations should not be ruled out where producers can consistently demonstrate that the final product is safe and the process is under effective control.

The ACMSF examined the epidemiology of E. coli O157, contamination of carcasses, meat and meat products by the organism, guidance on safe cooking of burgers in the US and other countries, and industry controls to ensure the safety of cooked burgers.

Recommendations to the FSA also included the development of guidance on appropriate use of time/temperature controls for industry and enforcement officers.

The report is available in hard copy. To obtain a copy, please email: acmsf@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk quoting document reference FSA/1183/0607. The report is also available as a pdf at the link below.