Superbowl Sunday: Remember to Put Food Away

Big Bear, Ca, February 3, 2012, 8:00am – As you sit down with friends and family this Sunday to watch the Giants play the Patriots in the Superbowl, remember to put away perishable food, or keep an eye on how long the food has been out.  Next to Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday is the day that American’s consume the most food, and like Thanksgiving, large amounts of perishable foods are left out for hours before they are put back in the refrigerator, which increases the chances of food born illness.  Illness caused by bad food can be severe, and can cause hospitalization or even death.  To avoid food poisoning this Super Bowl Sunday, plan ahead, and plan to leave out only non-perishable foods.  Avoid items that are high in dairy content, or only keep dairy items out for short amounts of time.  Save food such as chicken wings, pizza, hamburgers, hotdogs and cold cuts for when they can be eaten right away.  If you BBQ, be sure to avoid cross contamination by keeping ready to eat food separate from raw meat juices.  If all else fails, remember the 2- hour rule.  Do not leave any temperature sensitive or perishable food out for more than 2 hours.  Most importantly remember to wash your hands with soap and warm water, and enjoy the game.