Ramsey County

January 26, 2009

Super Bowl Food Safety

          January 15, 1967 marked the playing of the first ever Super Bowl I. between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs.  In the years since, the names of the players and the winners have changed but one part of the Super Bowl has continued to gain importance – the food!  Super Bowl Sunday is second only to Thanksgiving for the highest day of food consumption in the United States.  Whether you’re serving a long time favorite such as chili or a new type of snack food, be sure to include food safety in your party game plan.
          The USDA offers a football them approach to their four basic food safety messages.

          Clean - Avoid penalties for “Illegal Use of Hands”. In the everyday game of food safety, this penalty occurs when you or your guests prepare or handle food without first washing your hands. Always wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food, and do not forget to also wash surfaces often.

          Separate - Avoid “Encroachment” and do not jump offside. Keep raw meat and poultry separate from cooked foods. If you slice raw veggies on the same cutting board that was used to cut chicken and other raw meats, you will get a flag for encroachment. The juices from raw meat may contain harmful bacteria that cross-contaminates other foods. Use one cutting board for raw meat and poultry, and one cutting board for veggies. If you only have one cutting board, it should be thoroughly washed with hot soapy water before and after the preparation of each food item.

          Cook - Ensure your foods are in “The Red Zone” by using a food thermometer. Your chances of scoring will greatly increase when you use a thermometer to make certain the prepared food items are safely cooked. Meat and poultry including chicken wings, sausages and hamburgers, should be cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7.  And remember, color is not a reliable indicator of safety-internal temperature is. Use a food thermometer to be sure meat and poultry are safely cooked. Steaks should be cooked to 145 °F, ground beef should be cooked to 160 °F and all poultry should be cooked to 165 °F. Do not leave foods sitting out for more than two hours at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F.

          Chill - Your defense for good “Pass Protection” is a source of cold. In food safety, to ensure your guests continue to be food safe when they come back for seconds, keep cold foods cold and refrigerate leftovers promptly. Cold keeps offensive bacteria from multiplying and running up the score. The same rules of the “Danger Zone” apply for hot foods, too. If food has been sitting out for more than two hours, do not eat it.
          For a variation on chili, try the following low-fat version using chicken and a variety of white beans.

White Chicken Chili Recipe 

1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 C. low-sodium chicken broth
2 15 oz. cans cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
3 C. cooked, diced chicken
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
4 sliced green onions (optional)

          Heat oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or heavy saucepan. Add onion and garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes. Process one cup chicken broth and 1 can cannelloni beans in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add to onion and garlic mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, and then simmer 20-30 minutes.

          Garnish with shredded cheese and onions. Serves 8

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Devils Lake  ND  58301
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email - NDSU.Ramsey.Extension@ndsu.edu