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Fact Sheets > Baking and Cooling Pies
Baking and Cooling Pies
Pies are an
all-time favorite dessert. Cooking and storing pies safely
is important because germs that cause food-borne illness can
grow in pies kept at room temperature when the ingredients
include milk and eggs.
Refrigerate
any pies containing pumpkin, custard,
and cream pies.
Germs that can make
people sick can grow in pies kept at room temperature. They
grow easily in foods made with milk and eggs.
Therefore,
refrigerate any pies with these ingredients, such as pumpkin,
custard, and cream pies. To cook pies safely:
-
Only buy clean, refrigerated eggs with
uncracked shells.
-
Wash hands, utensils, equipment, and the work
area with hot soapy water before and after contact with
eggs.
-
Don’t keep milk or eggs out of the
refrigerator for more than two hours.
-
Use a food thermometer to make sure the
filling reaches 160°F. Chiffon pies may be made with
pasteurized dried egg whites, or with in-shell, commercial,
pasteurized eggs (available in some areas).
-
Meringue that tops a pie should be safe if
baked at 350°F for about 15 minutes.
To be sure your pies are safe after cooking:
-
Cool them at room temperature for only 30
minutes after you take them out of the oven.
-
Then put them in the refrigerator to
complete cooling and to keep them cold.
-
Keep pies in the refrigerator at 41°F or
colder, except during the time they are being served.
-
Bakeries and stores must put pies into boxes
or containers only after they have been cooled and are cold.
An exception: you may see pumpkin
pies displayed at room temperature in the store. These are
safe if made from a recipe that prevents germ growth for
five days - will be identified by proper labeling.
Refrigerate the pie as soon as you get it home.
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