Keep Food Safety in Play this Super Bowl

Super Bowl parties often feature takeout, delivery and foods that are served over several hours. To help prevent foodborne illness, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is reminding fans to keep food safety in play on game day.

“When food is served throughout the Super Bowl, it can be easy to lose track of how long it’s been sitting out,” said USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Mindy Brashears. “As Americans gather to enjoy the game, keeping food hot or cold and serving it promptly helps protect family, friends, and guests from foodborne illness.”

Many Super Bowl favorites including pizza, chicken wings, hamburger sliders, and chili should not be left out at room temperature for more than two hours, what USDA calls the Danger Zone (temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees 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.

FSIS encourages hosts to follow these food safety tips:

#1 Handle Takeout and Delivery Safely

• Transport takeout in insulated bags if travel time exceeds one hour.
• Serve food promptly or divide into smaller portions and refrigerate until ready to reheat and serve.
• Keep food hot at 140 degrees F or above using a preheated oven, warming tray, chafing dish or slow cooker.
• Reheat food containing meat or poultry to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F as measured by a food thermometer.
• If reheating in the microwave, spread food evenly, stir thoroughly, and check for cold spots to ensure a safe internal temperature is reached throughout.
• Reheat liquid foods like soups and sauces to a boil.