FDA says make food safety a priority on Super Bowl Sunday

 

POSTED ON Feb 01, 2018

 

Did you know Super Bowl Sunday is the second biggest eating day after Thanksgiving?It is estimated that 1.35 billion chicken wings will be consumed during Super Bowl weekend.

Sadly, most Super Bowl party menus such as chili, dips, chips and salsa, guacamole, and chicken wings are some of the biggest culprits when it comes to food poisoning.

That’s why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to remind you to keep your food safe on Game Day.

Super Bowl parties often involve finger foods, a lot of people sharing communal dishes, and treats that are left out for long periods of time—all which can lead to foodborne illness.

The best host wants to make sure that foodborne illness is not invited to the party, so the FDA encourages you to  follow these simple steps:

Food safety playbook

• Clean and wash kitchen surfaces, utensils, and hands before preparing or serving food and wash all produce including produce you plan to peel, such as avocados.
• Separate meats and poultry (and their juices) from cooked foods and ready-to-eat foods, like fruit and vegetables.
• Cook meat and poultry to the right temperature by using a food thermometer.
• Chill cooked and prepared foods if you do not plan to consume them immediately.
• Keep cold foods chilled to 40°F or below and hot foods heated to 140°F or above.
• Instead of using large serving bowls, serve chili, guacamole, salsa, and dips in smaller containers, and offer serving spoons and small plates to reduce the opportunity for guests to eat directly from the bowls.
• Make several small containers in advance and keep them chilled in the refrigerator or hot in the oven (set at 200-250 °F) until serving time. Replace the serving bowls with fresh ones throughout the party.
• Discard any perishable food left out at room temperature for more than two hours and have replacements ready at halftime.

Make food safety a priority on game day!