What is the required cooking temperature for fruits, vegetables, rice, and beans?

The required cooking temperature for fruits, vegetables, rice, and beans is indeed a minimum of 135°F. This temperature is sufficient to ensure that these foods are heated enough to reduce the risk of foodborne illness and enhance palatability without compromising their nutritional value.

Cooking at this temperature ensures that most pathogens are eliminated, making the food safe for consumption. Furthermore, achieving this temperature allows for the proper cooking of these items, which is particularly important for rice and beans to ensure any potential harmful microorganisms are destroyed. While certain foods such as meat or poultry require higher temperatures for safety due to different risks associated with those foods, fruits, vegetables, rice, and beans are understood to be safe at 135°F.

In professional food safety guidelines, this temperature threshold helps streamline cooking processes while maintaining food safety for these specific items.