Labor Day weekend is an unofficial start to football season in the Southeast. That means a traditional tailgating experience, especially for college football fans supporting their favorite teams.
While tailgating allows for fans to gather together and enjoy specific foods like hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken wings, it should also remind people that food safety remains a top priority.
Meredith Carothers, a U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety Specialist, highlighted the importance of food safety in an interview with the USDA’s Rod Bain.
“Tailgates for sports events are a lot bigger in the fall. There are still concerts and things happening that people tailgate for. There would be little charcoal grills at the bed of a truck, cooking burgers and hot dogs and stuff,” Carothers said. “As you’re preparing to go to a tailgate, preparing your food and what menu you’re going to have and what you’re going to set up, taking into account how far it is you’re driving in transporting food safely, considering putting your raw burgers, hot dogs, cheese, lettuce and other fixin’s and other perishables into a cooler with ice or cold sources.
“Especially if you’re using a charcoal grill, those take a bit to actually warm up, so you have to factor in the drive time, set up time and that can sometimes be a few hours before you’re actually throwing your burgers onto your charcoal grill. A cooler with ice is very important.”
Carothers emphasized that tailgaters have a separate beverage cooler to avoid cross contamination and since it will likely be open more frequently.
Also, perishable food items, whether they are grilled or in a slow cooker, need to be cooked at proper temperatures to avoid food-borne bacteria.