For football fans in Hollywood, Miami, Homestead and other parts of Florida, Super Bowl weekend means food, cheering, and parties. However, you will also want to take steps to ensure your Super Bowl weekend is safe as well as fun.
Many Super Bowl fans don’t even consider food safety. However, foodborne illness can quickly put a stop to your enjoyment of the game and can leave you seriously ill. Each year, thousands of Americans die due to foodborne illness, and many more require hospitalization. Foodborne illness can happen at any time, and this weekend is a good time to review the basics of preventing illness so you can prevent this common personal injury. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is promoting a campaign to encourage food safety.
To keep safe this Super Bowl weekend, follow these steps:
1) Clean your hands before you cook.
Clean your hands with hot, soapy water before you start preparing food. If you’re preparing meat, wash hands frequently during the preparation process to avoid cross contaminating other foods. After handling raw meat, always wash your hands before handling anything that will be served raw (such as vegetables or chips).
2) Keep food preparation surfaces clean.
To avoid cross contamination, keep your food preparation surfaces clean. Wash them off thoroughly before you start preparing food and use separate surfaces for raw meat and for vegetables or other foods you will be serving raw. Always wash any surfaces and utensils thoroughly when they have come into contact with meat.
3) Keep hot food hot and cold food cold.
Some foods, such as shrimp, may be served cold. Other foods, such as beef, will generally be served hot. If something is meant to be served hot, don’t allow it to cool too much. If something needs to be served cold, make sure you keep it at the right temperature.
4) Make smaller batches of food.
It can be tempting to make a big batch of food and then to eat off it for an entire week. However, you want to ensure you don’t allow for spoilage. If you want to make food ahead, make sure you store it properly. It is generally safer (and tastier) to make smaller batches of food and eat it promptly. If you want to make larger batches, freeze some potions at once.
5) Swap out food often.
During a big football game, food may be left sitting out at room temperature for some time, and that can mean bad news. Leaving out food means it has a chance to grow bacteria, including bacteria that can harm you. Instead of putting out all the food and keeping it out for the entire game, rotate the food often. Put out small portions and snacks and replace them as needed. Remove uneaten snacks and dispose of them if they have been sitting out for some time.
6) Use a thermometer when cooking.
When cooking meat, especially, use a thermometer to ensure you reach safe internal temperatures, which will ensure all bacteria inside the meat is killed.
7) Know where your food comes from.
If you decide to order food out, make sure you order from a reputable restaurant or caterer you trust. If you’re buying food, buy from brands or manufacturers you trust.
Have you been injured due to a sports event or a food-related illness? If you have been injured by someone’s recklessness, explore all your possible legal remedies by contacting Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation.