Food safety football season

Football and food safety football season is finally here! As we all begin to prepare our veggie trays and wings, a critical part of keeping everyone enjoying the game is practicing food safety when preparing your game day goodies. Individuals in their own homes can reduce contaminants and keep food safe to eat by following safe food handling practices. Four basic food safety principles work together to reduce the risk of foodborne illness—Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill. Here are 10 tips to reduce the risk of foodborne illness broken down by those four basic food safety principles: CLEAN: Wash hands with warm water and soap. Rub hands together for 20 seconds. Sanitize Surfaces. Use a solution of 1 TBS of unscented chlorine bleach per gallon of water to sanitize surfaces. Clean sweep refrigerated foods once a week. Cooked leftovers should be tossed after four days; raw poultry and ground meats, 1 to 2 days. Keep appliances clean. Pay close attention to any handles or buttons. Rinse produce. All fresh vegetables and fruits need to be rinsed under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking.