Foodborne illness microbes are killed by heat. Food heated to an internal temperature above 160oF, even for a few seconds, is typically sufficient to kill parasites, viruses or bacteria. That is except for the Clostridium bacteria, which produce a heat-resistant spore. Clostridium spores are killed only at temperatures above boiling. This is why canned foods must be cooked to a high temperature under pressure as part of the canning process.
Richard J. Arsenault, 2010
