USDA Shares Food Safety Recommendations for Your Potluck

Travel Safely:

• Place perishable foods like meat, poultry, egg or seafood salads directly from the refrigerator or freezer into a cooler.
• When transporting cold dishes, use a cooler packed with ice or gel packs to maintain a temperature of 40 degrees F or below.
• Keep hot foods at or above 140 degrees F by wrapping dishes in insulated bags or towels.
• Transport your cooler in the air-conditioned passenger compartment of your vehicle.

Avoid the Danger Zone:

• The bacteria that can cause foodborne illness grow between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F — also known as the Danger Zone.
• If you plan to keep perishable foods on the table for more than two hours (or one hour in temperatures above 90 degrees F), keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold to avoid the Danger Zone.
  • Keep hot foods heated at or above 140 degrees F with chafing dishes or preheated grill.
  • Keep cold foods chilled at or below 40 degrees F by placing them on bowls of ice or keeping them inside a cooler near the picnic table.

Think Nonperishables:

• Whole fruits, whole vegetables, bagged chips and dips, dried fruits, nuts and beef jerky are good alternatives that do not require refrigeration.

For more information about food safety, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or email MPHotline@usda.gov.