Cooking a hamburger until it's brown means it's done. She further explains the importance of cooking chicken to the right temperature. A certain type of bacteria found in chicken is the country's number one cause of diarrheal disease. Campylobacter jejuni bacteria lives in the bird's intestine, but humans can pick up a Campylobacter infection by eating undercooked chicken or other foods contaminated by raw chicken products. That's why it is very important to cook chicken to an internal temperature of 180 degrees.
Meat thermometers are available at department stores, kitchenware shops and in some supermarkets.
There are liquid-filled thermometers for casseroles or roasts, or inexpensive disposable thermometers for grilling. She also reminds cooks not to forget to wash hands, cutting boards and utensils after handling raw meats and poultry. Whenever handling raw meat of any kind, keep it separate from the other foods to avoid cross-contamination. For additional information about food safety, contact an Extension agent in your parish LSU AgCenter office.