Cooking and storing pies safely is important because germs that cause food-borne illness can grow in pies kept at room temperature. They grow easily in foods made with milk and eggs.
Refrigerate any pies containing pumpkin, custard, and/or cream.
Cook Pies Safely
- Only buy clean, refrigerated eggs with uncracked shells.
- Wash hands, utensils, equipment, and 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.
Make Sure Pies are Safe After Cooking
- Cool them at room temperature for only 30 minutes after you take them out of the oven.
- 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 and will be identified by proper labeling. Refrigerate the pie as soon as you get it home.
