Now that Hurricane Helene has made landfall, it is important to put good food safety into practice. For a chart on how to prepare and respond, see Food safety before and after an emergency on the USDA website.
Knowing how to keep your food and water safe will minimize the danger of spoiled food and reduce the risk of foodborne illness. It’s a good idea to always be ready, but if a storm watch or warning is issued, start preparing.
First, fill empty spaces in your freezer with frozen plastic jugs of water or bags of ice. They can serve as fresh water if necessary. And freeze things you don’t need right away.
Fill jugs with fresh water and fill your bathtub as well. You need at least one liter of water per person per day. If possible, lift refrigerators and freezers off the floor by placing cement blocks underneath. Move canned goods and other non-perishable foods to an elevated area.
You should keep a waterproof emergency kit stocked with non-perishable food, extra medications and prescriptions, and hygiene supplies. such as soap and bandages. Nonperishable foods include shelf-stable items that are safe at room temperature, including canned foods such as tuna, vegetables, fruits and canned soups. Other good shelf-stable choices include bread, rolls, peanut butter, granola bars, crackers, nuts, trail mixes, jerky, cereal, unopened mayonnaise, unopened mustard, dried milk and unopened jams and jellies. Make sure you bring a can opener.
If the power goes out during the storm, do not open the refrigerator or freezer if possible. If the power outage lasts longer than four hours, throw perishable food in the refrigerator. The frozen food should have a shelf life of 24 hours if half full and 48 hours if full, provided the freezer is not opened.
After the storm, do not eat food that is not in a waterproof container if there is a chance it has come into contact with flood water. Throw away perishable food that has been at room temperature for more than two hours, or one hour if the ambient temperature is above 35 degrees Celsius. Do not taste perishable food to see if it is safe.
Thoroughly wash all pots, pans, ceramic dishes and utensils, including can openers, with soap and water if they have been in contact with flood water. Then disinfect them by boiling them in clean water or immersing them in a solution of one tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach per liter of water for 15 minutes.