Commissioner Irvin gives food safety advice to kick off your Super Bowl Party

Millions of Americans will settle down in front of the television on Super Bowl Sunday to cheer on their favorite team, making this the second highest day of food consumption in the United States after Thanksgiving. Tommy Irvin, Georgia’s Commissioner of Agriculture, is passing along some tips from USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to help Super Bowl partygoers and hosts avoid committing their own food safety "personal fouls."

“If you are hosting a Super Bowl party, you need a game plan of basic food safety measures to ensure your guests won't end up on the ‘injured reserve list,’” said Commissioner Irvin.

Clean — Avoid penalties for “illegal use of hands.”  In the game of food safety, this penalty occurs when people prepare or handle food without first properly washing their hands. Always wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food, and don't forget to wash food preparation surfaces often.

Separate — Penalty flags will be flying for “encroachment” if you cut raw veggies on the same cutting board that was used to cut chicken and other raw meats. Raw meat may contain harmful bacteria that can contaminate other foods. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat and other foods.  If you use only one cutting board, wash it with hot soapy water after preparing each food item. The same is true for dishes.  Don’t use the same platter for bringing meat in from the grill that you used to carry it to the grill unless you wash it between uses.

Cook — A thermometer is your best piece of protective equipment. 
Use it to ensure the food is thoroughly cooked. Meat and poultry including chicken wings, sausages and hamburgers, should be cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7.

Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness — internal temperature is. Steaks should be cooked to 145 degrees F, ground beef should be cooked to 155 degrees F and all poultry should be cooked to 165 degrees F. 

Two-Hour Rule — Teams have a “two-minute warning” on the field, but in the food safety arena, there is a “two-hour rule.”  One of the biggest food safety mistakes people make during these types of gatherings is allowing perishable items to sit out too long.

The party lasts for several hours, and food is often put out early for guests to munch on before the game. Any foods — hot or cold — that have been sitting out at room temperature for more than two hours can easily allow bacteria to multiply and cause illness.  When perishable foods are not kept on a heating source (chafing dish or slow cooker) or nestled in a chilling source (bowls of ice), they enter the “danger zone” between 40 degrees F and 135 degrees F where bacteria grow most rapidly.  Perishable foods should be thrown away after remaining at room temperature for longer than two hours.

Chill — Refrigerating or freezing foods promptly will block offensive bacteria from multiplying and running up the score.

Make the Right Call — Football referees can use instant replay to ensure they made the right call. Make sure you make the right call when it comes to food safety.  Food safety experts are available by phone at the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline MPHotline (1-888-674-6854). Recorded messages are available 24 hours a day and the Hotline is staffed with food safety experts Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time.  Another resource available is "Ask Karen," an interactive question-and-answer feature available 24 hours a day on the USDA website.  Visit AskKaren.gov. 

###