Does a slow cooker heat up the food enough to kill bacteria?

Slow cooking does not guarantee the food will reach a high enough temperature to kill all bacteria. Slow cookers generally operate at a temperature between 170°F and 280°F (77°C and 138°C), which is not hot enough to kill some types of harmful bacteria, such as E. coli and Salmonella.

To ensure food safety, it is important to follow safe food handling practices and to cook food to the appropriate internal temperature. The minimum safe internal temperature for most meats and poultry is 165°F (74°C), as recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). You should use a food thermometer to verify that the food has reached the desired temperature before consuming it.