A 1.5-inch beef steak registers 145°F in the thickest part immediately after removal from heat but is placed onto a cutting board right away and served. Which statement is most accurate about food safety here?

Although 145°F is the recommended internal temperature for whole cuts of beef, safety guidance includes allowing a short rest time after reaching 145°F because internal temperature can plateau and pathogens may be further reduced; serving immediately without resting may slightly reduce the margin of safety.

The steak should have been cut open to visually confirm there is no pink; visual inspection is superior to thermometer readings when deciding if whole cuts are safe to serve without rest.

If the steak surface looks seared and the center reads 145°F briefly, it is always perfectly safe for all populations including infants and the immunocompromised without any further restrictions or rest period.

Because the thermometer read 145°F immediately after removal, the steak is definitively unsafe because any meat cooked above 130°F must rest for at least 30 minutes before it can be consumed.