What temperature should cooked hamburger be checked to ensure it is fully cooked?

The appropriate temperature for checking cooked hamburger to ensure it is fully cooked is actually 158°F. This temperature is critical as it is sufficient to kill harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, which are often associated with ground beef. Cooking ground beef to this temperature ensures that it reaches a safe level, preventing foodborne illnesses.

While the other temperatures listed represent safe cooking temperatures for other types of meat, they are not specific for hamburger. For instance, beef steaks or roasts may be safely cooked to a lower temperature (145°F), but ground beef requires a higher minimum internal temperature because the grinding process can introduce bacteria throughout the meat. It's essential for food safety to adhere to these specific temperature guidelines when handling ground meats.