Editor’s Note: Football season is well under way, but
because Food Safety News staff members witnessed some less-than-safe
food-handling practices while tailgating recently, we’ve reprinted the
USDA food safety advice for tailgaters here.
Keeping food safe at a tailgate gathering requires the same safe food
handling practices as picnicking outdoors because a refrigerator and
running water are probably not available. Include lots of clean utensils
for preparing and serving the safely cooked food. In addition to a
grill and fuel for cooking food, pack a food thermometer to be sure the
meat and poultry reach a high enough temperature to destroy any harmful
bacteria that may be present.
Q. Several of us are planning a tailgate party. How can we handle the foods safely?
A. Keeping food at a safe temperature between home, a
store or restaurant, and the tailgate location helps prevent foodborne
illness. Follow these tips from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) to ensure that your food stays safe.
- Carry cold perishable food such as raw hamburger patties, sausages
and chicken in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice,
frozen gel packs or containers of ice.
- Place an appliance thermometer in the cooler so you can check to be sure the food stays at 40 degrees F or below.
- When packing the cooler for an outing, be sure raw meat and poultry
are wrapped securely to prevent their juices from cross-contaminating
ready-to-eat food.
- Perishable cooked food such as luncheon meat, cooked meat, chicken
and potato or pasta salads must be kept refrigerator cold, too.
- If bringing hot take-out food, eat it within two hours of purchase (one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees F).
- To keep food such as soup, chili and stew hot, use an insulated
container. Fill the container with boiling water, let it stand for a few
minutes, empty and then put in the piping hot food. If you keep the
insulated container closed, the food should stay hot (140 degrees F or
above) for several hours.
- If you can’t keep hot food hot during the drive to your tailgate,
plan ahead and chill the food in the refrigerator before packing it in a
cooler. Reheat the food to 165 degrees F as measured with a food
thermometer.
- In addition to a grill and fuel for cooking food, pack a food
thermometer so you can check and make sure the meat and poultry reach a
high enough temperature to destroy harmful bacteria that may be present.
- Include lots of clean utensils for preparing and serving the safely cooked food.
- Bring water for cleaning if none will be available at the site. Pack
clean, wet, disposable cloths or moist towelettes and paper towels for
cleaning hands and surfaces.
Q. How do you handle marinated meat for tailgate cooking?
A. Some recipes recommend marinating meat and
poultry for several hours or days, either to tenderize or add flavor.
Acid in the marinade breaks down connective tissue in meats.
Always marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. If some
of the marinade is to be used for basting during smoking or as a sauce
on the cooked food, reserve a portion of the marinade. Don’t put raw
meat and poultry in it. Don’t reuse the marinade from raw meat or
poultry on cooked food unless it’s boiled first to destroy any harmful
bacteria.
Transport marinated meat and any reserved marinade in a cooler, and keep it cold until grilling it.
Q. Can you partially cook food at home so it grills faster at the tailgate gathering?
A. No. Partially cooking meat or
poultry ahead of time should only be done if the food goes immediately
from the microwave or stove to the hot grill. Partial cooking of food
without cooking it to a safe temperature allows harmful bacteria to
survive and multiply. Once meat or poultry starts cooking, continue
cooking until it reaches a safe temperature as determined by a food
thermometer.
Q. What are the safe temperatures for cooking meat and poultry?
A. Cook food to a safe minimum
internal temperature to destroy harmful bacteria. Meat and poultry
cooked on a grill often browns very fast on the outside. Use a food
thermometer to be sure the food has reached the temperatures recommended
below.
Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts to a
minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F as measured by a food
thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and
quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or
consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to
cook meat to higher temperatures.
Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb and veal to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F as measured by a food thermometer.
Cook all poultry to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F as measured by a food thermometer.
Q. How do you avoid cross-contamination?
A. When taking food off the grill,
use a clean platter. Don’t put cooked food on the same platter that held
raw meat or poultry. Any harmful bacteria present in the raw meat
juices could contaminate safely cooked food. In hot weather (above 90
degrees F), food should never sit out for more than one hour.
Q. Are leftovers from a tailgate party safe to eat later?
A. Some people have so much fun at
tailgate gatherings that they never actually watch the sporting event.
But that doesn’t mean it’s safe for the food to stay unrefrigerated
before, during and after the event. Holding food at an unsafe
temperature is a prime cause of foodborne illness.
Store perishable food in the cooler except for brief times when
serving. Cook only the amount of food that will be eaten to avoid the
challenge of keeping leftovers at a safe temperature.
Discard any leftovers that are not ice-cold (40 degrees F or below)
after the game. Food should not be left out of the cooler or off the
grill more than two hours (one hour when the outside temperature is
above 90 degrees F).
