Don’t fumble with food safety on Super Bowl Sunday

Millions of Americans will come together to watch Super Bowl LVI Sunday, Feb. 13, and feast on hot and cold snacks throughout the four-hour event. This uniquely American tradition scores big on entertainment, but it is also rife with opportunity for foodborne illness.

“No matter who you’re rooting for, foodborne illness is a dangerous opponent we face during the game,” said United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) secretary Tom Vilsack. “Millions of people get sick from food poisoning each year.”

Unlike other food holidays, when meals are often consumed within an hour, Super Bowl fans often snack on food throughout the game. Perishable foods, such as chicken wings, deli wraps and meatball appetizers, as well as cut fruit and vegetable platters, can only be left out for two hours, before they become at risk of bacteria multiplying to dangerous levels.

The USDA recommends setting out small amounts of food and replenishing it frequently. The following are some food safety tips for Super Bowl Sunday:

• Wash hands for 20 seconds before, and after, handling raw meat and poultry. Clean hands, surfaces and utensils, with soap and warm water before cooking, and after contact with raw meat and poultry. After cleaning surfaces that raw meat and poultry has touched, apply a commercial or homemade sanitizing solution (1 tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach, per gallon of water). Use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.

• Use separate cutting boards, plates and utensils to avoid cross-contamination, between raw meat or poultry, and foods that are ready-to-eat.

• Confirm foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature, by using a food thermometer.

• Chill foods promptly, if not consuming immediately after cooking. Don’t leave food at room temperature for longer than two hours.

• Using a food thermometer, ensure the reach of a safe internal temperature when cooking: meat (whole beef, pork and lamb) – 145º F, with a 3-minute rest; ground meats – 160º F; poultry (ground and whole) – 165º F; eggs – 160º F; fish and shellfish – 145º F; and leftovers and casseroles – 165º F.

If chicken wings are on the menu, use a food thermometer on several wings to gauge the doneness of the entire batch. If one is under 165º F, continue cooking all wings until they reach that safe internal temperature.

Bacteria multiply rapidly between 40º F and 140º F. This temperature range is called the Danger Zone. Perishable foods, such as chicken wings, deli wraps and meatball appetizers, should be discarded, if left out for longer than two hours.

To prevent food waste, refrigerate or freeze perishable items within two hours.

Keep cold foods at a temperature of 40º F or below, by keeping food nestled in ice or refrigerated until ready to serve. Keep hot foods at a temperature of 140º F or above, by placing food in a preheated oven, warming trays, chafing dishes or slow cookers.

Divide leftovers into smaller portions and refrigerate, or freeze them in shallow containers, which helps leftovers cool quicker, than storing them in large containers.

If ordering food, and it’s delivered or picked up in advance of the big game, divide the food into smaller portions or pieces, place in shallow containers, and refrigerate until ready to reheat and serve. The food can also be kept warm (above 140º F) in a preheated oven, warming tray, chafing dish or slow cooker.

When reheating food containing meat or poultry, make sure the internal temperature reaches 165º F, as measured by a food thermometer.

If heating food in the microwave, ensure that contents are evenly dispersed. Because microwaved food can have cold spots, be sure to stir food evenly until the food has reached a safe internal temperature throughout.