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Food and water safety is on the minds of many people, after living through a hurricane or flooding recently. For those who have had a contaminated water supply, it is even trickier. Whether the water from your tap is safe or not, if you've had flooding, some things are probably going to have to go.
Food, even if it's packed in containers including cardboard, cloth, paper or plastic that has been in contact with contaminated water, needs to be thrown out. This goes for anything in a bottle that has a crimped soda-type cap, flip top, snap lid, screw cap, or twist cap as well. Though it may pain you to do so, you must also get rid of any home canned goods that were contaminated. Believe me, it would pain you much more if you were to keep it and eat it.
Commercial canned goods are okay to keep, but take their labels off, wash the cans, and disinfect them. You can use a mixture of 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of (clean) water, according to Homesafety.org. It's a good idea to make a new label detailing what's in the can and what the expiration date is.
If your water isn't safe, you can buy bottled water. If you have electricity, you can boil your own water for one minute. If the water looks cloudy, you should use clean cloth as a filter, pouring the water through the cloth. Another way to deal with cloudy water would be to let it settle, then scoop out the clearer water at the top, and boil it.
If you can't get bottled water and you have no electricity, you can use bleach to disinfect your water. It may not kill every organism that might be in your water, but it will kill some. Add 1/8 teaspoon or 8 drops of bleach to every gallon of water. Stir, then let it sit for half an hour.
If your water comes from a well and your well has been flooded, you will need to have your water tested. Contact your local or state health department or an agriculture extension agent.
If your fridge and freezer are no longer working, keep the doors closed as much as possible so the temperature in them stays as cold as possible for as long as possible.
A fridge without power can keep your food cold for up to four hours if you keep the door closed. A freezer that is fairly full will stay cold for about 48 hours. If it's only partially filled, it may stay cold for 24 hours.
You can put dry ice or block ice in your fridge to keep things cool longer. A filled 18 cubic foot freezer can be kept cold for an additional two days with 50 pounds of dry ice.
When power is restored and if you have an appliance thermometer in the freezer, a reading of 40 degrees F or lower is a sign of food safety. If you don't have an appliance thermometer, but the food is still frozen or still has ice crystals, it is safe to keep. If you are in doubt about a food item, throw it out.
If your refrigerator itself was underwater, the whole thing and all its contents must be thrown out.
It may all seem like insult upon injury, to have survived a disaster and yet still have to go through the lengthy, involved cleanup process. But protecting your health is your goal on the other side of this ordeal. Hang in there just a little longer to make it to safety
Jody Smith is a freelance writer for Empowher.com
Sources:
Food Safety in the Home After a Hurricane and/or Flooding
http://www.homefoodsafety.org/Hurricane
Keep Food Safe During Emergencies
http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442464999#
Related Links:
Dealing With Hazards of Hurricane Sandy's Aftermath
http://www.empowher.com/wellness/content/dealing-hazards-hurricane-sandys-aftermath
Prevent Foodborne Illness During Natural Disasters
http://www.empowher.com/food-poisoning/content/prevent-foodborne-illness-during-natural-disasters
The CDC's Winnable Battles in Public Health: Food Safety
http://www.empowher.com/food-poisoning/content/cdcs-winnable-battles-public-health-food-safety
