USDA Lowers Pork Cooking Temp To 145°F

That's right, our pigs are safer. Or as some would have it (can you say Alton Brown), were safe all along. Well, safe enough to cook, when using whole pieces of meat (more on that in a moment), at only 145 degrees Fahrenheit. In other words, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has lowered the recommended cooking temperature from 160 to 145 F.