Thorough cooking is very important because it kills harmful bacteria in food. If bacteria survive in food because it is not cooked properly, it could make your people ill.
What you need to do
don’t serve any food that is not properly cooked
once food is cooked, serve it immediately or keep it hot until serving
if you’re cooking food in advance, cool and chill it quickly
How to check
inspect food to make sure it’s thoroughly cooked - for example, check that it’s piping hot all the way to at least 75°C for 30 seconds or equivalent
check regularly that hot food is kept hot until serving
remember, once cooked, hot food must be kept above 63°C
when you’re serving or displaying hot food, you can keep it below 63°C for a maximum of two hours; only do this once; then you must throw away the food, or cool it as quickly as possible and keep it chilled until it’s used
Cooking food
cook food thoroughly to kill harmful bacteria
don't shorten cooking times given on package labels or cooking books
thaw frozen meat and poultry thoroughly or it may not cook completely. Defrost food in the fridge or by microwaving
wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly
cooked food should only be reheated to above 75°C for 30 seconds or equivalent.