USDA Food Safety Specialists Urge Super Bowl Food Safety

Super Bowl LVIII, the American football championship game of the National Football League for the 2023 season, is scheduled to be played on Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada.

Super Bowl parties will be hosted across the United States. Food is always an important part of watching the game with friends and family and often will be left out not chilled or properly heated throughout the duration of the game.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service wants to remind football fans everywhere to follow safe food handling rules during the big game.

Millions of Americans will gather around with family and friends to watch the big game. During that four-hour game, food often gets left out for a long period of time, not chilled, or heated properly. This oversight can be a recipe for disaster, causing bacteria to multiply to unsafe levels and leading to food poisoning.

Whether you’re a seasoned cook or more of a rookie when it comes to the kitchen, add these food safety tips from USDA to your gameplan to keep Super Bowl Sunday free of foodborne illnesses:
·      Be safe with takeout food
·        Follow the 2-hour rule
·        Wash hands effectively
·        Use a food thermometer
·        Store leftovers properly

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

USDA is offering tips to help consumers learn how to protect themselves from food poisoning as they snack during the big game. So how do you serve a delicious Super Bowl feast and keep your food safe?

Remember the four simple steps for preparing a meal: clean, separate, cook and chill.

If you have food safety questions, please call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), chatting live at Ask USDA, or emailing MPHotline@usda.gov.

Live food safety specialists are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time.