As the first official weekend of Mardi Gras rolls in, so do the food options, from licensed vendors and food trucks to neighborhood cooks selling everything from crawfish pies to yakamein along the parade route.
With so many unofficial options popping up, we asked what kind of risk parade-goers might be taking when they grab a bite on the go.
Dr. Brobson Lutz says, in the grand scheme of things, Carnival food has not historically led to widespread serious illness.
“In general, people are relatively safe,” Lutz said. “We haven’t seen major outbreaks tied directly to Mardi Gras route food.”
He says grilled foods tend to be lower risk because high heat kills most harmful bacteria during cooking.
“Once you throw most things on the grill, if there was a culprit there, it usually gets killed off,” he explained.
The bigger concern comes from large pots of food; items like gumbo, jambalaya, and red beans, especially if they are not kept at proper temperatures for extended periods.
“Those foods can, over time, produce bacteria that may make you feel uneasy by the next day,” Lutz said. “A lot of times people may feel a little sick but never report it and may not even connect it to what they ate.”
While enforcement has increased on open pits and boil setups, informal food sales still happen. Lutz says his personal rule is simple.
“I wouldn’t trust anyone without food safety permits,” he said.
When asked whether the bigger risk is the food itself or the way it’s handled, Lutz didn’t hesitate.
“What makes the difference is how, where, and by whom the food was prepared,” he said.
His bottom line for parade-goers: use common sense, be mindful of how long food may have been sitting out, and when possible, stick with vendors who follow food safety rules so the only thing you take home from the route is beads and memories.
FoodSafety.gov says:
To put it simply, hot foods must stay hot (above 140°F (60°C)) and cold foods must stay cold (below 40°F (4°C)). When foods are held between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C), bacteria can grow rapidly to levels that can cause you or your guests to get sick. This temperature range is called the “danger zone” and should be treated as a big no-no.