At what temperature is it safe to cook protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, and eggs?

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Most foods need to go through a process of processing and cooking before they can be eaten. Processing high-protein foods needs to ensure that the heat is at a safe level to ensure that nutrients are not lost or denatured.

1. What is protein?

Protein is one of the nutrients responsible for many important functions in the human body. Protein is a component of the structural and protective tissues of the body and soft cells in the organs. Without protein absorbed from food, the human body cannot develop, internal organs cannot function. On average, the percentage of protein in the human body is 10-20% of body weight (depending on gender, age, fat-thin status).
Protein is found in many different foods such as meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, etc. Protein needed by humans is provided from foods derived from animals or plants. Protein sources from grains, beans account for only 3 - 10% of the weight of the food. Meanwhile, potatoes, fruits, broccoli, ... only contain 3% of protein.

2. At what temperature should high-protein foods be processed?


Most of the food bought back often has to go through a process of processing and cooking before it can be eaten. Protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, ... are no exception. During hot processing, nutrients will undergo many physico-chemical changes.
With protein, when heated at 70°C, the protein is coagulated and then degraded. In the presence of acid, coagulation will occur at a lower temperature. This clumping process makes the protein easier to digest.
Meanwhile, if you cook at high temperature for too long, it will reduce the nutritional value of protein (due to forming indigestible bonds). This process usually occurs when baking, steaming food in a high-temperature oven or frying food in grease for too long (food prepared in grease can reach temperatures above 200°C, food baked on coal stoves can reach temperatures above 300°C,...).
So when processing protein-rich foods, what temperature should you cook meat at, and at what temperature do you fry fish? According to nutritionists, with foods that provide protein such as meat, fish, and eggs, the temperature must be above 70°C. The temperature should be maintained above 100°C to cook food and kill bacteria (including viruses and bacteria). When boiling chicken or swans, ducks, pork legs, fish, liver,... need to be boiled thoroughly, especially paying attention to the part of meat that is close to the bones not to be pink. At the same time, it is recommended to limit the use of foods that are baked, fried, roasted, ... in the oven at high temperature or in grease with a long processing time.

Sử dụng nhiệt kế đo nhiệt độ nấu ăn giúp người nội trợ kiểm soát được nhiệt độ cho từng loại thực phẩm
Sử dụng nhiệt kế đo nhiệt độ nấu ăn giúp người nội trợ kiểm soát được nhiệt độ cho từng loại thực phẩm

Thus, when processing high-protein foods, it is necessary to ensure the appropriate cooking temperature to ensure that the nutrients are not denatured, and at the same time to ensure food hygiene and safety to help the body absorb well. Protein in food, preventing the production of harmful substances.
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