During this weeks Super Bowl Laura Sant a nutritionists from University of Idaho Extension has tips for keeping food fresh during the four hour game.
PRESTON – Watching the Super Bowl or watching out for food poisoning both can bring a stomach ache. On February 13, families and friends across the country will gather not only to watch Super Bowl LVI, but they will feast on all kinds of hot and cold snacks throughout the four-hour game.
The big game brings with it opportunities for families and friends to take part in one of America’s most traditional sporting events. Four hours of football and snacks brings with it the possibility of foodborne illnesses.
Laura Sant, University of Idaho Extension educator, said she has been teaching food safety for approximately 20 years. She provides community education to residents in Franklin County. She is also a registered dietitian nutritionist and licensed dietitian in Idaho and nationally recognized for her work.
There are several ways to prevent people from waking up Monday morning ready for the day and not too sick to move. She subscribes to what the Partnership for Food Safety Education teaches about making sure the food is safe for everyone.
“Wash your hands as much as you can. Any time you touch a different food wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap. Then rinse your hands with warm water and dry with a clean towel. Even if you are just starting to prepare food you need to wash your hands because you may be bringing germs with you to prepare food,” Sant said.
Separate different foods so they can’t contaminate each other. Raw meat, poultry and seafoods are less likely to contaminate each other if you use a different cutting board for each item.
“Clean with soap and water cutting boards, pots, pans, dishes, utensils or anything that is going to come in contact with the food. When using a cutting board wash it before you introduce another food. For instance, if it comes in contact with vegetables wash it before it is used for any kind of meat. Rinse all the fruits and vegetables with rinds or peels before pealing them. The skins can contaminate what you eat,” she said.
Sant said it is best to separate different foods so they can’t contaminate each other. Raw meat poultry and seafoods are less likely to contaminate each other if you use a different cutting board for each item.
Cooking temperature is important for the different party foods. Sant encourages the use a food thermometer, the safest way to ensure all meats have a safe internal temperature. She said properly cooked meat (whole beef, pork and lamb) is 145 F with a 3-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 with no cold spots in the leftovers.
Batches of food like chicken wings should be cooked at 165 F and they should be checked by measuring the temperature of different ones until all wings reach that safe internal temperature.
Sant also said people should chill or refrigerate food promptly after use. Cooking kills bacteria letting food sit set at room temperature can cause bacteria to grow.
“If you chill after use it will slow bacterial growth,” she said. “When you thaw out meats don’t just leave it out at room temperature. Thaw food out in the microwave, refrigerator or cold water.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also weighing in on Super Bowl snacks. The organization said when people get take-out food it should picked up in advance, should be divided into smaller portions or pieces, placed in shallow containers and refrigerated until ready to reheat and serve.
Likewise, takeout that arrives warm can be maintained in a preheated oven, on a warming tray or in a chafing dish or slow cooker.
For more food safety information, 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 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.