To prevent salmonella, what should you do to meat, fish, and eggs?

• A. Cook them thoroughly
• B. Wash them with cold water only
• C. Leave them at room temperature briefly
• D. Freeze them overnight

Answer: (A)

Cooking thoroughly to safe internal temperatures is the best way to prevent Salmonella because heat kills the bacteria. When meat, fish, or eggs reach these temperatures, any Salmonella present is destroyed, making the food safe to eat.

For eggs, cook them so that the yolk and white are firm. For poultry and ground meats, reach 165°F (74°C). For whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and fish, 145°F (63°C) with a brief rest is typically recommended.

Washing with water isn’t enough to remove all bacteria and can spread it to surfaces. Leaving foods at room temperature gives Salmonella time to multiply quickly. Freezing stops growth but doesn’t reliably kill all bacteria, so the food can still cause illness if not cooked properly later. So, cooking to the right temperature is the reliable safeguard.