Super Bowl Food Safety Tips

Super Bowl LVII The Kansas City Chiefs will kick off Sunday, February 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Many Americans enjoy the big game by cheering on their favorite team, watching the halftime show, and eating snacks. In fact, according to the USDA, Super Bowl Sunday is his second-biggest food event after Thanksgiving.

The Super Bowl is typically around four hours long. Meanwhile, many perishable foods, such as chicken wings and pizza, can be left out for a little longer, according to food safety experts.

Here are five Super Bowl food safety tips to keep you and your party safe on game day.

On Super Bowl Sunday, millions of Americans either prep their favorite game-day foods in bulk at home or order takeout.

Whether you’re cooking or having chicken wings delivered, these five food safety dos and don’ts will help you get through the big game safely without a stomach upset.

What to do: Wash your hands and surfaces frequently

of Department of Agriculture, CDC and FDA Everyone agrees that you should wash your hands with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds before, during, and after preparing food on Super Bowl Sunday. You must wash your hands after touching your pet with

The USDA says on its website, “Before cooking and after touching raw meat or poultry, clean hands, surfaces and utensils with soap and warm water.” “After cleaning surfaces that have been touched by raw meat or poultry, homemade disinfectant“

In addition to washing your hands, cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops should be cleaned with warm, soapy water after each food preparation. The CDC also recommends washing or scrubbing fresh fruits and vegetables under running water.

DO: Separate to avoid cross-contamination

According to the USDA, CDC, and FDA, it’s important to use separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils to avoid cross-contamination between raw meat or poultry and ready-to-eat foods.

“When preparing, serving, and storing food, separate ready-to-eat foods such as raw meat from vegetables. , plates and knives,” the CDC said.

During a Super Bowl party, hot and cold foods should also be kept separate to avoid cross-contamination, USDA food safety expert Meredith Carothers told VERIFY.

“If you like making chicken wings and they’re all covered in sauce, but you’ve also just received a delivered pizza, make sure they’re on a separate counter or away from the pizza. So there is no possibility of cross-contamination,” Carothers said.

What to do: Cook food at the correct temperature

USDA is food thermometer Make sure hot and cold foods are well cooked safe internal temperature Match day. That’s because cooking food at the right temperature kills harmful bacteria, according to the CDC.

Hot foods should maintain an internal temperature of 140°F or higher, depending on the dish. Store cold foods below 40°F.

If wings are on the menu, the USDA says a food thermometer should be used on some of the wings to determine if the entire batch is done. Below F, all wings should continue to cook until they reach a safe internal temperature. USDA is Safe minimum internal temperature chart About other foods on the website.

To keep hot foods at the safest internal temperatures during Super Bowl Sunday, you can keep them warm in a friction dish, slow cooker, or warming tray.

Don’t: Leave food at room temperature for more than 2 hours

Perishable foods such as chicken wings, deli wraps, and meatballs are not safe to leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Bacteria grow rapidly between 40°F and 140°F, according to the USDA.danger zone“

Therefore, if you do not plan to eat the food immediately after cooking, you should refrigerate or freeze the food immediately. If left unattended for more than an hour, you should throw them away.

Non-perishable items like nuts and chips are the only foods that can be safely left out for hours, Carothers said.

Don’t: Double sleep at large gatherings

Carothers says double dipping is not safe, especially at large gatherings like Super Bowl parties. This is because double soaking allows the spread of germs and bacteria between guests and can even cause cross-contamination.

“If people have allergies, you have to take that into account. If you dip in peanut butter and then dip in another twice, you’re dipping in another and ranch. and other foods and are a potential cross-contamination factor for individuals with dietary restrictions.

To discourage guests from double-dipping on Super Bowl Sunday, the CDC recommends serving individual dishes and small plates to guests.