Don’t Run Out the Clock on Food Safety this Super Bowl

If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party, keep food safety in your playbook to ensure that bacteria doesn’t run out the clock. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has a game plan to keep your Super Bowl servings penalty free.

“One of the biggest threats to a successful game day meal is bacteria that causes foodborne illness,” said USDA FSIS Administrator Dr. Denise Eblen. “Make sure that takeout or delivered food is quickly refrigerated or placed in an oven until your guests arrive.”

Pizza, chicken wings, hamburger sliders, chili and other Super Bowl favorites cannot stay at room temperature for more than two hours, what USDA calls the Danger Zone (temperatures between 40 F and 140 F). If perishable food is left out without hot or cold sources for too long, bacteria will multiply to unsafe levels that can cause foodborne illness. Here are some game winning plays to avoid getting sick from your party foods:

#1 Don’t Fumble Your Takeout or Delivery

• Place your takeout in insulated bags while transporting home if your commute takes longer than an hour.
• Whether it’s takeout or delivered food, serve promptly or divide food into smaller portions, place in shallow containers and refrigerate until ready to reheat and serve. Or keep food heated (above 140 F) in a preheated oven, warming tray, chafing dish or slow cooker.
• Reheat food containing meat or poultry to an internal temperature of 165 F as measured by a food thermometer.
• If reheating in the microwave, evenly disperse food and stir so the food reaches a safe internal temperature throughout.
• Reheat liquid foods like soups and sauces to a boil.

#2 Avoid the Danger Zone

• If you do not plan to use cold or heating sources to keep food hot or cold during the game, bring out one set of servings during the first half of the game, and a second set of servings for the second half to ensure your food doesn’t stay out for more than two hours.
• Perishable food should be discarded if left out for longer than two hours. To prevent food waste and enjoy leftovers after the game, refrigerate or freeze perishable items within two hours.
• If you plan to keep food out for more than two hours:
  • Keep cold foods at a temperature of 40 F or below by keeping food nestled in ice.
  • Keep hot foods at a temperature of 140 F or above by placing food in a preheated oven, warming trays, chafing dishes or slow cookers.

#3 Focus on Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures

• Use a food thermometer to ensure your food reaches a safe minimum internal temperature when cooking at home:
  • meat (whole beef, pork and lamb) 145 F with a three-minute rest;
  • ground meats 160 F;
  • poultry (ground and whole) 165 F;
  • eggs 160 F;
  • fish and shellfish 145 F; and
  • leftovers and casseroles 165 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 165 F, continue cooking all wings until they reach that safe internal temperature.

#4 Remember Your Four Steps to Food Safety

• Clean: Wash hands for 20 seconds before and after handling your takeout or delivered food, as well as any raw meat or poultry you prepare at home. Clean hands, surfaces and utensils with soap and water before and after meal prep and sanitize any surfaces that may have come in contact with food with a commercial or homemade cleaning solution (1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water).
• Separate: Use separate cutting boards, plates and utensils to avoid cross-contamination between your takeout or delivery foods and any raw meat or poultry you are preparing at home.
• Cook: Confirm foods are cooked or reheated to a safe internal temperature by using a food thermometer.
• Chill: Chill foods promptly if not consuming immediately after cooking.

If you have food safety questions, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), email MPHotline@usda.gov or chat live at ask.usda.gov 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

Access news releases and other information at USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS) website at www.fsis.usda.gov/newsroom. Follow FSIS on X at @usdafoodsafety or in Spanish at X @usdafoodsafety_es and on Instagram @usdagov.