Food Safety Reminders Ahead of this Weekend’s Big Game

Ada, MN — For some people during the Super Bowl, more important than the game itself is the food. And whether you order pizza, fry up some wings, smoke racks of ribs, or slice up a meat and cheese tray, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is encouraging football fans to remember to follow safe food handling rules during the big game. USDA Food Safety Expert Laura Scott recommends that you follow four simple steps: clean, separate, cook, and chill.

A common mistake for those who are cooking of chicken is rinsing the meat. Scott notes that doing so can actually cause cross contamination.

The USDA also frowns on leaving food out for too long. Scott recommends avoiding putting out a big spread of food at once, but rather switching things up at halftime.

Each year millions of Americans get sick from foodborne illness – commonly called food poisoning or a stomach bug. These illnesses result in roughly 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).