With great Super Bowl parties come great responsibilities: Staying safe and healthy this super Sunday
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - From the food to the commercials to the game, there is nothing like a good Super Bowl party with friends.
While it can be one of the highlights of the year, it's not without some caution.
Like many things, the things that can put a damper on a Super Bowl Sunday are controllable.
Let's start with the food. Super Bowl spreads are legendary, but you don't want to make anyone sick.
"For example, chicken, beef, those types of products, and shrimp, somebody might have, those would be the things that you have to be most concerned about," explained Penn State Extension Food Safety Expert Mary Alice Geddings.
They fall into the "keep the hot things hot and the cold things cold" rule, according to Geddings.
"You want to make sure those products stay either below 41 [degrees] or above 135 [degrees]," she said.
If they're not - there's a golden rule, according to Geddings. She said if they're out for two hours and they're not temperature-controlled, put them back into the refrigerator.
Geddings said dips are generally okay, but use utensils, no hand-dipping or double-dipping.
Meanwhile, the salt content in things like pepperoni, salami, and cheese helps make them last longer, but you want to avoid bacteria on the temperature-sensitive foods.
"That gets into your tummy and you get sick," she said.
Now, when it comes to the spirits and beers flowing in your place, there are things to keep in mind.
"Pennsylvania takes the position that it's the person drinking who is responsible for any subsequent accident, not the person serving in a private, social setting," explained attorney and partner at Robert Pierce & Associates, Robert F. Daley.
Daley said that argument crumbles if an obviously intoxicated person is served and gets in an accident.
"You may run a risk on it on the criminal side," he explained. "You should, of course, make sure your guests are not visibly intoxicated and if they are, make certain they not driving."
Daley added that obviously serving anyone underage is a criminal offense and if they cause a wreck, you have civil and criminal liability.