Q: Is it safe to eat the food served at tailgate parties?

A: Tailgate parties can be an attractive breeding ground for microorganisms because of the length of time food may be left out. However, the food served at tailgate parties can be safe if a few safety tips are followed.

For a safe tailgate party:

Shop smart. Buy fresh produce and meats. Place meats into a plastic bag to prevent juices from leaking and contaminating food that requires no further cooking.

Plan accurately for the number to be served. Don’t pack extra food.

Choose the least hazardous foods: fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, breads and rolls. Well-chilled, cooked roast beef or turkey also are less likely to spoil than meat-, poultry- or fish-based salads. Peanut butter and jelly or sliced American cheese also can be safer choices.

Start with chilled ingredients. Wrap sandwiches individually or place them in single-serving food storage bags.

Sandwiches also can be frozen the night before the party. Use coarse-textured bread that does not get soggy when thawed. Take the mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato separately to add at mealtime.

Prepare meat, egg, poultry or fish salads less than 24 hours before serving. Chill well.

Chill condiments and beverages before placing them in coolers.

Use separate coolers for beverages and food. Beverage coolers are opened more frequently than food coolers the temperature inside a cooler rises each time it is opened.

Transfer food directly from the refrigerator to the cooler.

Pack coolers with several inches of ice or use frozen gel-packs to keep the temperature in the cooler under 40 degrees. Store food in water-tight containers to prevent contact with melting ice water.

Cooler not full? Add more ice, or less-perishable foods, such as peanut butter or fruit. Temperatures remain more constant in a full cooler.

Packing cooked and uncooked foods in the same cooler? Wrap food well; keep raw meats and poultry separate from cooked foods and/or foods that will be eaten raw, such as fruits and vegetables.

Unless the weather is cold, transport coolers in the air-conditioned passenger compartment, not in the trunk.

Keep hands clean and work areas sanitary.

Keep coolers out of the sun, covered with a blanket.

Open coolers only when necessary.

Plan to grill at the game? Grill only the quantity of food that will be eaten.

Use a meat thermometer to check doneness: cook hamburgers and ribs to 160 degrees; ground poultry to 165 degrees; and poultry parts to 180 degrees.

Transfer cooked meats and poultry to a clean serving plate.

Use a clean utensil for each step. Keep dirty utensils separate from clean ones.

Remove cooked foods from cooler just before serving.

When finished serving, put leftovers back in the cooler.

If perishable foods have been out of the cooler for one hour when the temperature is 90 degrees, or two hours in cooler weather, and have not been eaten, discard them.

If, after the game and trip home, ice or coolants are still keeping food cold, it is possible to refrigerate and re-heat leftovers. If in doubt, throw it out.