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Food Safety
Safe Food After Flooding
(3 minutes: 26 seconds)
WMV (high speed video)
(3 minutes: 26 seconds)
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video)
(3 minutes: 26 seconds)
 WMA (audio
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Audio/Video Script:
Dr. Denise Brochetti - Nutrition
Assistant Professor-Nutrition
[Picture of flooded houses] Floods can happen after severe storms, tornados,
and hurricanes. [Dr. Brochetti] If you know how to handle food and water
during and after floods, you can reduce your chances of getting sick, and you
can cut down on the amount of food you will need to throw out because it has
become unsafe to eat.
First, be sure the water is safe. [Slides showing bullet points]
- Use bottled water that hasn't come in contact with flood water if it's
available.
- If it isn't available, you will need to boil water to make it safe. If
the water is cloudy, you will need to filter it first through a clean cloth
or allow it to settle, and then draw off the clear water for boiling. Bring
the water to a boil and then boil it for at least1 minute. Let it cool and
then store it in clean containers with covers.
- If you cannot boil the water, you can disinfect it using household
bleach. Again, you will need to filter cloudy water first or allow it to
settle and then draw off the clear water for disinfecting. Add 1/8 teaspoon
of regular, unscented, liquid household bleach for each gallon of water.
Stir it well and let it stand for 30 minutes before storing it in clean
containers with covers.
As for food, follow these tips to help you decide which foods you can keep
and which you will need to throw out.
- First, do not eat any food that may have come in contact with flood
water because it will be contaminated with disease-causing organisms.
- Throw out all food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any
chance that it has come into contact with flood water. Food containers that
aren't waterproof include those with snap lids, pull tops, crimped caps, and
screw-caps. Also, throw out cardboard juice boxes, milk boxes, baby formula
boxes, and home canned foods, because these containers cannot be cleaned and
sanitized effectively.
You can salvage undamaged, commercially prepared food if it's in all-metal
cans or retort pouches, but you must do the following.
- Remove the labels, because they can harbor dirt and bacteria.
- Thoroughly wash the cans or pouches with soap and hot water, if it is
available.
- Rinse the cans or pouches with safe drinking water to remove residual
soap.
- Then, sanitize the containers by immersing them in water and allowing
the water to boil for at least 2 minutes.
- If you cannot boil them in water, then immerse them in a freshly made
solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of
drinking water for 15 minutes. After sanitizing the containers, let them
air-dry for at least 1 hour.
- Use the food as soon as possible.
[Dr. Brochetti] And remember, if you are ever in doubt about the safety of
food, throw it out! It isn't worth the risk.
[Narrator] To learn more: contact your county extension agent or follow
the links in this section.
Related Links
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