“I’ll have my burger rare!” Why take a chance? Pathogens, including E. coli O157:H7, are contained within raw hamburger meat and need to be destroyed before eating.
In the past, officials would advise to cook hamburgers until all the “juices run clear.” We have since learned that the only reliable means of determining that foods like hamburgers and chicken have been cooked properly is to use a calibrated thermometer.
We recommend that hamburgers be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 158°F and that chicken products be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. Also, remember, fireworks are illegal in many states, including New Jersey. Each year people are injured due to burns, blast trama and other injuries related to fireworks use. Avoid injury and leave the fireworks displays to the professionals!