February 3, 2011

Referee a Safe Super Bowl Party

When it comes to the Super Bowl, defense matters. When it comes to planning a Super Bowl XLV party, a good defense against foodborne illness matters even more.

All across the country football fans will be staging Super Bowl parties and the Central District Health Department is urging fans to follow the food safety play book when hosting these gatherings. The reason is simple, large gatherings can increase the chance of someone becoming ill, especially if food isn’t prepared, served or stored correctly. What follows are a few of the basics.

Illegal use of hands

Avoid penalties for "illegal use of hands." It’s a good idea to use utensils for serving food, like tongs, spoons and tissues. Your guests can help by making sure their hands are clean. Proper hand washing involves soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food. Also, be sure to clean eating surfaces often, and wash serving platters before replenishing them with fresh food.

Offsides

Think of your party fare as two different teams—uncooked versus ready-to-eat foods. Prevent "encroachment" at all costs and keep each team in its own zone. The juices from raw meat can contain harmful bacteria that cross-contaminate other food. Use one cutting board for raw meat and poultry and another one for cutting veggies or foods that will not be cooked. If you use only one cutting board, wash it with hot soapy water after preparing each food item.

Time out

Call a "time out" and use a food thermometer to be sure meat and poultry are safely cooked. Remember that internal temperature, not meat color, indicates doneness. Steaks should be cooked to 145 °F, ground beef should be cooked to 160 °F, and all poultry should be cooked to 165 °F.

Holding

"Holding" may be one of the most likely offenses your referee encounters if your party lasts late into the night. Never hold foods for more than two hours at room temperature. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers promptly to block offensive bacteria from multiplying. The same rules apply for cold foods. If cold food has been sitting out for more than two hours, do not eat it. When in doubt, throw it out of the game—and your party.

Everybody Wins

When it comes to foodborne illness, there is no opportunity for an instant replay. To avoid these infractions, make sure you understand the rules completely. CDHD offers the Basic Food Safety Video for free download on its website. Or you can visit the USDA's virtual representative, "Ask Karen," available at AskKaren.gov.