The temperature needed to kill E. coli bacteria depends on the cooking method and the type of food. According to the USDA, cooking regimes designed to kill deadly E. coli 0157:H7 must be based on the pathogen being in its most heat-resistant state. Bacteria previously subjected to lower heating temperatures may be tougher to kill. E. coli that have been subjected to only a sublethal dose of heat can be more heat-resistant than bacteria that have not been exposed to such heat. Therefore, it is important to adequately cook food to kill foodborne pathogenic bacteria. Adequate cooking is still the best way to kill pathogenic organisms in food.

Different types of food require different cooking temperatures to kill E. coli bacteria. The World Health Organization notes that bacteria are rapidly killed at temperatures above 149°F (65°C). The American Meat Institute believes 140 degrees is "far too low" to kill E. coli bacteria. The FDA issued an interim guideline to cook ground beef to at least 155 degrees after the Jack in the Box episode. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has long recommended that consumers cook ground beef to 160 degrees.

In summary, the temperature needed to kill E. coli bacteria depends on the type of food and the cooking method. Ground beef should be cooked to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit to kill E. coli bacteria.