Heat treatment is just one way of preserving meat. The rest are as follows:

• Low temperature: Cooling, freezing
• High temperature: Heat treatment
• Acidity, pH: Acidification
• Competitive flora: Fermentation — for non-heat-treated products
• Redox potential: Decrease oxygen — vacuum, ascorbate
• Preservatives: Sorbate, nitrite etc.
• Water activity, aw: Drying, salt, sugar, fat

There are two types of heat treatment:

• Heat treatment at temperatures below 100°C, mostly in the temperature range of 60 to 85°C, also called pasteurization or simply cooking.
• Heat treatment at temperatures of above 100°C, also called sterilization.

Recommended minimum safe internal temperatures. Higher temperatures may affect flavors and nutrients.

Poultry, dark meat = 80°C
Poultry, light meat = 71°C
Ground poultry = 74-80°C
Ground beef and all types of pork = 71°C
Beef/veal/lamb steaks and chops medium-rare = 63°C

Killing time and temperature experiments for most bacteria: