The loss of power from any natural disaster could jeopardize the safety of your food. Reduce the risk of foodborne illness by following these recommendations from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Safety Inspection Division:
lways keep meat, poultry, fish, and eggs refrigerated at or below 40 ºF and frozen food at or below 0 ºF. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature.
- A refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it the door is unopened.
- A full freezer will hold its temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) IF the door remains closed.
- If the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time, obtain dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator as cold as possible.
- Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic foot full freezer for 2 days.
- Plan ahead and know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased.
e prepared for an emergency by having items on hand that don't require refrigeration and can be eaten cold or heated on the outdoor grill.
- Shelf-stable food, boxed or canned milk, water, and canned goods should be part of a planned emergency food supply.
- Make sure you have ready-to-use baby formula for infants and pet food.
- Remember to use these items and replace them from time to time.
- Be sure to keep a hand-held can opener for an emergency.
onsider what you can do ahead of time to store your food safely in an emergency.
- If you live in a location that could be affected by a flood, plan your food storage on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water.
- Coolers are a great help for keeping food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours - have a couple on hand along with a frozen gel packs.
- When your freezer is not full, keep items close together - this helps the food stay cold longer.
- Store canned foods and other shelf-stable products in a cool, dry place.
- Never put them above the stove, under the sink, in a damp garage or basement, or any place exposed to high or low temperature extremes.
- Store high-acid foods, such as tomatoes and other fruit, up to 18 months.
- Low-acid foods, such as meat and vegetables, can be kept 2 to 5 years.
- NEVER USE food from containers that show signs of botulism: leaking, bulging, rusting, or badly dented cans; cracked jars; jars with loose or bulging lids; canned food with a foul odor; or any container that spurts liquid when opening. DO NOT TASTE THIS FOOD! Even the tiniest amount of botulinum toxin can be deadly.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Flood waters covered our food stored on shelves and in cabinets. What can I keep and what should I throw out?
- Discard all food that came in contact with flood waters including canned goods. It is impossible to know if containers were damaged and the seal compromised.
- Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples, and pacifiers. There is no way to safely clean them if they have come in contact with contaminated flood waters.
How should I clean my dishes and pots and pans?
Thoroughly wash metal pans, ceramic dishes, and utensils with hot soapy water and sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach per quart of water.
My home was flooded and I am worried about the safety of the drinking water. What should I do?
- Drink only approved or chlorinated water.
- Consider all water from wells, cisterns, and other delivery systems in the disaster area unsafe until tested.
- Purchase bottled water, if necessary, until you are certain that your water supply is safe.
- Keep a 3-day supply of water or a minimum of 3 gallons of water per person.
We had a fire in our home and I am worried about what food I can keep and what to throw away?
- Discard food that has been near a fire.
- Food exposed to fire can be damaged by the heat of the fire, smoke fumes, and chemicals used to fight the fire.
- Food in cans or jars may appear to be okay, but the heat from a fire can activate food spoilage bacteria.
- If the heat is extreme, the cans or jars themselves can split or rupture, rendering the food unsafe.
- One of the most dangerous elements of a fire is sometimes not the fire itself, but toxic fumes released from burning materials.
- Discard any raw food or food in permeable packaging - cardboard, plastic wrap, screw-topped jars, bottles, etc. - stored outside the refrigerator.
- Food stored in refrigerators or freezers can also become contaminated by fumes.
- The refrigerator seal isn't airtight and fumes can get inside.
- Chemicals used to fight the fire contain toxic materials and can contaminate food and cookware.
- Food that is exposed to chemicals should be thrown away - the chemicals cannot be washed off the food. This includes food stored at room temperature, such as fruits and vegetables, as well as food stored in permeable containers like cardboard and screw-topped jars and bottles.
- Cookware exposed to fire-fighting chemicals can be decontaminated by washing in soap and hot water. Then submerge for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach per quart of water.
A snowstorm knocked down the power lines, can I put the food from the refrigerator and freezer out in the snow?
No, frozen food can thaw if it is exposed to the sun's rays even when the temperature is very cold. Refrigerated food may become too warm and foodborne bacteria could grow. The outside temperature could vary hour by hour and the temperature outside will not protect refrigerated and frozen food. Additionally, perishable items could be exposed to unsanitary conditions or to animals. Animals may harbor bacteria or disease; never consume food that has come in contact with an animal.
Rather than putting the food outside, consider taking advantage of the cold temperatures by making ice. Fill buckets, empty milk cartons or cans with water and leave them outside to freeze. Then put the homemade ice in your refrigerator, freezer, or coolers.
Information from the United States Department of Agriculture,
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« this page last modified 04/03/07 »
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