The USDA has created a new public service ad to warn Americans who plan to cook or eat food during a Super Bowl party this year about the dangers of food poisoning.
The ad features party hostess Martie Duncan who explains that she has been on the “receiving end of food poisoning a couple of times.”
The USDA warns on its website that hot or cold food can enter the “danger zone” for food poisoning if left at room temperature for over two hours.
“Because the game itself takes about four hours and Super Bowl parties can last for several hours longer it’s important to pay special attention to this on game day,” writes the USDA in a statement. “A lot of food combined with a lot of people who are focused on the big game creates a significant risk of food poisoning.”
Other tips include:
- Arrange and serve food on several small platters rather than on one large platter
- Always serve food on clean plates — not any that previously held raw meat and poultry.
- Replace empty platters rather than adding fresh food to a dish that already had food in it.
