What is the cooking requirement to kill Trichinella in pork?

To effectively kill Trichinella in pork, it is essential to reach an internal cooking temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 15 seconds. This specific temperature and time combination is based on food safety standards that ensure the destruction of harmful pathogens, including Trichinella spiralis, which is a parasitic roundworm that can cause trichinosis in humans.

Cooking pork to this temperature allows for the safe consumption of the meat since it effectively neutralizes the parasite and ensures that the meat remains safe to eat. The emphasis on time is crucial, as reaching the temperature alone is not sufficient; the meat must be held at that temperature for a minimum duration to ensure that any potential Trichinella present is killed.

Other temperature and time combinations listed in the alternatives may not specifically target the kill step for Trichinella and may not be sufficient. Different levels of cooking for other types of pathogens or for different meats might apply, but for Trichinella in pork, the requirement is distinctly set at 145 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds to ensure food safety.