The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week released revised cooking recommendations for meats including whole cuts of pork.

The USDA lowered the recommended safe cooking temperature for whole pork from 160 °F to 145 °F. The USDA this week also added a recommended three-minute rest time for meats.

Like whole pork, the safe temperature for steaks, roasts and chops is also 145, the USDA says. The safe temperature of all ground meat and poultry is higher. According to the USDA, 160 is safe for ground meats and 165 for all poultry.

"With a single temperature for all whole cuts of meat and uniform 3 minute stand time, we believe it will be much easier for consumers to remember and result in safer food preparation," USDA Under Secretary Elisabeth Hagen said in a news release. "Now there will only be 3 numbers to remember: 145 for whole meats, 160 for ground meats and 165 for all poultry."

The USDA stressed the three-minute rest period is important.

“A ‘rest time’ is the amount of time the product remains at the final temperature, after it has been removed from a grill, oven, or other heat source. During the three minutes after meat is removed from the heat source, its temperature remains constant or continues to rise, which destroys pathogens,” the news release said.

The USDA news release also address concerns of pink pork and noted that color and appearance are not reliable indicators of food safety.

“Only by using a food thermometer can consumers determine if meat has reached a sufficient temperature to destroy pathogens of public health concern. Any cooked, uncured red meats – including pork – can be pink, even when the meat has reached a safe internal temperature,” the news release said.

To learn more read the USDA news release USDA Revises Recommended Cooking Temperature for All Whole Cuts of Meat, Including Pork, to 145 °F.