Food safety tips after Hurricane Katrina

As Hurricane Katrina hits Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida, the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants area residents to be prepared for
the aftermath. FDA is providing important tips to help people affected by this
storm to protect their health and food supply.

As flooding occurs, immediately evaluate stored food and water supply. Perishable
food such as meat, poultry, seafood, milk and eggs that are not properly
refrigerated or frozen may cause illness if consumed, even when it is thoroughly
cooked.

Here’s what FDA suggests consumers can do at home to keep their food safe:

Food safety when the power goes out

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to
  maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food cold for about
  4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately
  48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. Buy dry
  or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is
  going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should
  hold an 18-cubic foot fully-stocked freezer cold for two days.
• If you plan to eat refrigerated or frozen meat, poultry, fish or eggs
  while they are still at safe temperatures, it’s important that the
  food is thoroughly cooked to the proper temperature to assure that any food
  borne bacteria that may be present is destroyed.
• Wash fruits and vegetables with water from a safe source before eating.
• For infants, if possible, use prepared, canned baby formula that requires
  no added water. When using concentrated or powdered formulas, prepare with
  bottled water if the local water source is potentially contaminated.

Once the power is restored

• Once the power is restored you will need to evaluate the safety of the
  food. If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, read the temperature
  when the power comes back on. If the thermometer stored in the freezer reads
  40 degrees F or below the food is safe and may be refrozen. If a thermometer
  has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine
  the safety. Remember, you can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still
  contains ice crystals or is 40 degrees F or below, it is safe to refreeze
  or cook.
• Refrigerated food should be safe as long as the power is out for no more
  than 4 hours. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard any perishable
  food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs or leftovers) that has been above
  40 degrees F for two hours or more.

For a list of how to handle specific refrigerated and frozen foods during
power outages, go to Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency.

Food and Water Safety During Hurricanes and Floods

• Hurricanes, especially if accompanied by a tidal surge or flooding, can
  contaminate the public water supply. Drinking contaminated water may cause
  illness. You cannot assume that the water in the hurricane-affected area
  is safe to drink. Listen to local announcements for updated information on
  the safety of the water supply.
• If bottled water is not available and the safety of tap water is questionable,
  follow these directions to purify it:
• If you have a heat source available, boil the water vigorously for 1-3
  minutes (at altitudes above one mile, boil for 3 minutes). Water should be
  bubbling and rolling. (www.cdc.gov)
• If you can’t boil water, add 8 drops (about 1/8 teaspoon or 0.75 ml) of
  newly purchased, unscented liquid household bleach per gallon of water, stir
  it well and let the water stand for 30 minutes before you use it. Note that
  using bleach will not kill parasitic organisms. (www.epa.gov/OGWDW/faq/emerg.html).
• You can also use water-purifying tablets from your local pharmacy or sporting
  goods store. (www.cdc.gov).
• Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with flood water.
  Discard any food without a waterproof container if there is any chance that
  it has come into contact with floodwater. Undamaged, commercially canned
  foods can be saved if you remove the labels, thoroughly wash the cans and
  disinfect them with a solution consisting of 1/4 cup of bleach per gallon
  of water for clean surfaces. Re-label your cans, including the expiration
  date, with a marker. Food containers with screw-caps, snap lids, and home
  canned foods should be discarded if they have come in contact with flood
  water because they cannot be disinfected.
• 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. Thoroughly wash metal pans, ceramic dishes
  and utensils with soap and hot water. They should then be sanitized by boiling
  in clean water or immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1/4 cup
  of chlorine bleach per gallon of water.

For more information on safe food handling, go to www.foodsafety.gov or
call FDA’s toll-free information line at 1-888-SAFEFOOD (1-888-723-3366).

P05-48

August 29, 2005

Media Inquiries:
301-827-6242

Consumer Inquiries:
888-INFO-FDA

Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency

Safety tips from the FDA

Did you know that a flood, fire, national disaster,
or the loss of power from high winds, snow, or ice could
jeopardize the safety of your food? Knowing how to determine
if food is safe and how to keep food safe will help minimize
the potential loss of food and reduce the risk of foodborne
illness. This fact sheet will help you make the right
decisions for keeping your family safe during an emergency.

ABCD’s of Keeping Food Safe in an Emergency

Always keep meat, poultry, fish, and eggs refrigerated
at or below 40 ºF and frozen food at or below 0 ºF.
This may be difficult when the power is out.

Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much
as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator
will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is
unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for
approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if
the door remains closed. Obtain dry or block ice to keep
your refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is
going to be out for a prolonged period of time. 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.

Be 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.

Consider 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 frozen gel packs. When your
freezer is not full, keep items close together—this
helps the food stay cold longer.

Digital, dial, or instant-read food thermometers and appliance
thermometers will help you know if the food is at safe
temperatures. Keep appliance thermometers in the refrigerator
and freezer at all times. When the power is out, an appliance
thermometer will always indicate the temperature in the
refrigerator and freezer no matter how long the power
has been out. The refrigerator temperature should be 40
ºF or below; the freezer, 0 ºF or lower. If
you’re not sure a particular food is cold enough,
take its temperature with a food thermometer.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q:

Flood waters covered our food stored on shelves
and in cabinets. What can I keep and what should
I throw out? How should I clean my dishes and pots
and pans?

A:
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. 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.

Q:
My home was flooded and I am worried about the
safety of the drinking water. What
should I do?

A:
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.

Q:
We had a fire
in our home and I am worried about what food I
can keep and what to throw away.

A:

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.

Q:
A snowstorm
knocked down the power lines, can I put the
food from the refrigerator and freezer out in
the snow?

A:
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.

Q:
Some of my
food in the freezer started to thaw or had
thawed when the power came back on. Is the
food safe? How long will the food in the
refrigerator be safe with the power off?

A:
Never taste
food to determine its safety! You will
have to evaluate each item separately. If an
appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer,
read the temperature when the power comes back
on. If the appliance thermometer stored in the
freezer reads 40 °F or below, the food is safe
and may be refrozen. If a thermometer has not
been kept in the freezer, check each package
of food to determine the safety. Remember you
can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food
still contains ice crystals or is 40 °F or
below, it is safe to refreeze . Refrigerated
food should be safe as long as power is out no
more than 4 hours. Keep the door closed as
much as possible. Discard any perishable food
(such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and
leftovers) that have been above 40 °F for 2
hours.

Q:
May I refreeze
the food in the freezer if it thawed or
partially thawed?

A:
Yes, the food may
be safely refrozen if the food still contains
ice crystals or is at 40 °F or below. You will
have to evaluate each item separately. Be sure
to discard any items in either the freezer or
the refrigerator that have come into contact
with raw meat juices. Partial thawing and
refreezing may reduce the quality of some food,
but the food will remain safe to eat. See the
attached charts for specific recommendations.

April 2004

This is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration news release: Original

Credits

Rhett Butler Editor

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