Dr. Francisco R. Velázquez: It’s all about food safety on Super Bowl Sunday

This Sunday is the Super Bowl. With a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, I suspect that the pregame celebrations will start earlier in the afternoon transitioning to dinner, which probably means several stages of food preparations during the day.

Pregame prep should include all the key defensive strategies:

• Wash hands for 20 seconds before and after handling your takeout or delivered food, as well as any raw meat or poultry you prepare at home.

• Clean hands, surfaces and utensils with soap and water before and after meal prep.

• Sanitize any surfaces that may have come in contact with food using a commercial or homemade solution (1 teaspoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water).

• Use separate cutting boards, plates and utensils to avoid cross-contamination between your takeout or delivery foods and any raw meat or poultry you are preparing at home.

Let’s talk “safeties” – the last line of defense for keeping our food safe. Unlike other celebrations, the Super Bowl festivities go on for quite some time. That means food can sit around as football fans snack throughout the game. Make a game plan with the two-hour rule in mind. Perishable items, such as chicken wings, deli wraps, meatball appetizers, as well as cut fruit and vegetable platters, should only be left out for a maximum of two hours. Once these foods hit the two-hour mark, the risk of bacteria multiplying to dangerous levels increases and so does the potential of making people sick. Include tactical rotations in your game plan such as swapping food options at halftime.

Warm-ups are critical to decreasing the risk of injury. Make sure all food warm-up and cooking is by the book, and food is at a safe internal temperature. Throughout the afternoon, keep hot foods hot (140 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer) using hot holding equipment such as a crock pot and cold foods cold (40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder) by using ice or the refrigerator throughout the game.

To avoid any penalties, make sure you use a certified food thermometer and keep the following within the safety zone:

• Meat (whole beef, pork and lamb): 145 degrees Fahrenheit with a three-minute rest.

• Ground meats: 160 degrees Fahrenheit (Including burgers and sliders).

• Poultry (ground and whole): 165 degrees Fahrenheit (yes, that includes chicken wings).

• Eggs: 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Fish and shellfish: 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Leftovers and casseroles: 165 degrees. Fahrenheit (Including chili and other reheated foods).

After the final whistle, it is time to pack it up and go home, hopefully with a smile. The leftovers are one of the best parts of a game day party. But to enjoy them post-game without getting sick, they need to be stored and reheated properly. Within two hours of serving, divide leftovers into smaller portions and refrigerate or freeze them in shallow containers. This helps the items cool more quickly.

When you’re ready to reheat them, be sure they reach a temperature above 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You can check their temperature with a food thermometer. Soups and sauces should be reheated on the stovetop until they reach a boil.

Leftovers will remain good in the refrigerator for three to four days. However, if they smell funky or you aren’t sure about them, just remember, “When in doubt, toss it out.”

Before getting on the road at the end of the evening, please remember to drive safely and have a designated driver if alcohol was served. Be a team player; getting home safely is the real goal!

For more information and resources on how to prepare food safely, visit SRHD.org, search “food safety” and scroll down to the “Consumer Food Safety” section.

Francisco R. Velázquez, M.D., S.M., FCAP, is the health officer for the Spokane Regional Health District.