What is the function of a food thermometer?

A food thermometer is primarily used to measure the internal cooking temperature of food. This ensures that food has reached a safe temperature to eliminate harmful bacteria and reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses. Proper use of a food thermometer is crucial, especially for meats, poultry, and other dishes where specific temperatures must be achieved to ensure safety.

Checking food appearance, assessing food freshness, and determining shelf life involve visual and sensory evaluations rather than precise measurements of temperature. These methods may provide some information about food quality but do not guarantee that the food is safe to eat, as pathogens can still be present even if the food looks or smells fine. Therefore, the use of a food thermometer is essential for verifying that food is cooked to a safe temperature and is a key practice in effective food safety.