Men's Health
 

Don't Let Unsafe Food Spoil Your Tailgating Party

Experts Suggest Rules To Follow

Autumn brings football and with this sporting event, be it an NFL team or your favorite college team, comes the traditional tailgating party before the big game.Picture of an elderly man, smiling

Experts on food safety suggest that you do not let food poisoning sideline your tailgating party.

Food-borne illnesses affect millions of Americans each year. Many persons who think they have the flu or a virus are really victims of mild cases of food poisoning, caused by bacteria and viruses found in food.

Particularly vulnerable to these infections are young children, the elderly, pregnant women (because of the risk to the fetus), and persons with chronic or serious illnesses, whose immune systems are already weakened.

Because feasting before the football game can mean perishable food has to stand in warm temperatures for hours, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers these tips to make sure the party stays near the stadium, not the emergency room:

  • Keep raw and cooked foods separate at all times. Cross-contamination is one of the main causes of food-borne illnesses. Try using color-coded plates and utensils so you'll know which is which.

  • Bring lots of extra utensils for eating and preparing. Using a new utensil is easier than trying to clean on the spot.

  • Make sure raw meat and poultry are wrapped separately from cooked foods while in the cooler.

  • Wash your hands before and after preparing food.

  • Bring your own soap, water, and disposable wipes should a water source be unavailable.

  • Use an ice scoop to handle ice. The last thing you want is lots of unwashed hands touching ice that's going to go in somebody's drink.

  • Keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Bacteria multiply best between 40 degrees and 140 degrees.

  • Do not leave food out of the cooler or off the grill for more than two hours (one hour if the temperature is over 90).

  • Always put perishable food in a cooler with ice or ice packs. Move it directly from the fridge or freezer to the cooler.

  • Make sure the cooler is well-insulated and keep the temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Pack meat and poultry while it's still frozen.
    Fully loaded coolers stay colder longer. If you don't have enough food to fill it up, add ice or fruit or even something like a jar of peanut butter.

  • Keep drinks in a separate cooler. This way, people won't be opening and closing the one with the meat inside.

  • Transport the cooler in the air-conditioned part of the car.

  • Make sure foods are cooked thoroughly, and use a meat thermometer to make sure.

Always consult your physician for more information.

Symptoms of Food Poisoning

Most cases of food poisoning mimic gastroenteritis, and many people with mild cases of food poisoning think they have the "stomach flu."

However, the onset of symptoms is usually very sudden and abrupt, often within hours of eating the contaminated food.

Symptoms may include:

  • abdominal cramps

  • watery and/or bloody diarrhea

  • nausea and vomiting

  • headache

  • fever

  • abdominal distention and gas

The symptoms of food poisoning may resemble other medical conditions or problems.

Mild cases of food poisoning are often treated as gastroenteritis, with fluid replacement and control of nausea and vomiting being the primary focus. However, in serious cases of food poisoning, hospitalization may be necessary.

Always consult your physician for more information. 

November 2003

Don't Let Unsafe Food Spoil Your Tailgating Party

Symptoms of Food Poisoning

Causes of Food Poisoning

Online Resources

Causes of Food Poisoning

Most food-borne illnesses are caused by eating food containing certain types of bacteria or viruses.

After a person has eaten these foods, the microorganisms continue to grow, causing an infection. Foods can also cause illness if they contain a toxin or poison produced by bacteria growing in food.

Several different kinds of bacteria can cause food poisoning. Some of the common bacteria include the following:

  • Salmonella and Campylobacter - normally found in warm-blooded animals such as cattle, poultry, and swine and may be present in raw meat, poultry, eggs, or unpasteurized dairy products.

  • Clostridium perfringens - may be present in raw meat, poultry, eggs, or unpasteurized dairy products, as well as in vegetables and crops that come into contact with soil. Infection may occur when soups, stew, and gravies made with meat, fish, or poultry are stored improperly or left unrefrigerated for several hours.

  • Listeria - mainly associated with raw foods of animal origins.

  • Staphylococci - occur normally on human skin and in the nose and throat. These bacteria are transmitted to food when handled.

  • Escherichia coli (E. coli) - found in the intestines of healthy cattle. An infection is caused by eating undercooked beef (especially ground beef) or unpasteurized milk.

Hepatitis A and other viral diseases may be passed through the hands of infected persons onto the hands of food handlers or into sewage. Shellfish and other foods which may have been exposed to sewage-contaminated water can transmit these viral diseases.

Botulism is a rare but deadly form of food poisoning caused by Clostridium botulinum, which is found almost everywhere, including in soil and water. Low acid foods, such as meat, fish, poultry, or vegetables, that are improperly canned may be breeding grounds for this bacteria.

Always consult your physician for more information

Online Resources

(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Healthfinder, US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)