KDHE Reminds Football "Tailgaters" to be Safe with Foods

With football season in full swing, loyal fans across Kansas are flocking to stadiums to support their favorite teams. Many enjoy the traditional pre-game cookout in the stadium parking lot. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is reminding “tailgaters” to keep a sharp eye on food safety, to help make sure their football weekend remains a relaxed and fun-filled time.

“Safe tailgating means paying close attention to food preparation to prevent foodborne illness. It is important to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold,” stated Angela Kohls, Director of the KDHE Food Safety Program. “Cook meat and poultry completely. If you bring hot take-out food from a restaurant, eat it within two hours after you buy it.”

Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps people can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Wash your hands with soap and warm, running water for 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based product to clean your hands. Alcohol-based hand rubs significantly reduce the number of germs on skin and are fast-acting. Hands should be cleaned after using the toilet, and before and after eating or preparing foods.

KDHE offers the following additional recommendations for safe tailgating:

• Carry cold perishable food like raw hamburger patties, sausages, and chicken in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice, or containers of frozen water. Perishable cooked food such as luncheon meat, cooked meat, chicken, and potato or pasta salads must be kept refrigerator-cold, too.
  
• When packing the cooler, be sure raw meat and poultry are wrapped securely to prevent their juices from dripping onto ready-to-eat food, possibly contaminating that food.
  
• 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 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°F). Holding food at an unsafe temperature is often a cause of foodborne illness.
• 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.

For more food safety information, please visit www.ksfoodsafety.org.

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