Safe Superbowl Foods
Superbowl Sunday is coming up and while folks may not be having a traditional Superbowl party this year with dozens of friends sharing food and drinks, food safety experts expect fans who watch the game will still have plenty of food and drinks.
The USDA’s Meredith Carothers with the Agriculture Department’s Meat and Poultry Hotline says chicken wings, nachos, chips, and salsa are fan favorites regardless of party size.
“Food safety tips are going to apply no matter how small or large your gathering is. The only thing that might differ is the quantity of food.”
The constant reminder from the USDA experts is to cook the meat to a safe temperature.
“If you’re cooking chicken wings or any other kind of chicken, dip or something like that you want to make sure your chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit as measured by that food thermometer.”
Ground beef should be cooked to 160F degrees while steaks, roasts, and chops to at least 140F degrees.
Carothers says if you want to feel good after the game then paying attention to the amount of time your food is out is really important.
“So I’d say the biggest mistake is keeping foods out for way too long. She says if meats, sauces, cheeses, and dips are left out for more than two hours bacteria inside them or from peoples’ hands can grow and create a dangerous foodborne illness”.
She says it’s important to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold or replace foods that have been out on a table for more than two hours.
The USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline number is 888-MPHOTLINE(888-674-5463) You can also go online to Ask.usda.gov
