How To Keep Food Safe During A Power Outage
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Thinking Ahead of A Disaster
It is important to learn the ABC's of keeping food safe in such emergency situations and this knowledge can help minimize loss of food and reduce the risk of food borne illnesses.
Being Prepared is Essential.
There maybe little or no warning prior to the disaster and in any case, you never know how severe the impact will be or the duration of its effects.
General Supplies for Natural Disaster Emergency
Stock supplies for at least a 72 hour period per person.....the more supplies the better
1. Have an emergency food supply Have items on hand that do not require refrigeration - for example:- shelf-stable foods and snacks, boxed or canned milk, bottled drinking water and water stored for general cleaning, canned foods, ready- to-use baby formula for infants, dry pet food for your pets.
Think of where you will store your food especially if you live in a location that could be affected by a flood. Store your food on shelves that are high and out of the reach of contaminated flood waters.
Remember that stored foods have an expiration date, so you must use and replace them from time to time.
2. Regular unscented liquid household bleach
Bleach can be used to kill some, but not all, types of disease- causing organisms that may be in the water.
3. Recommended - Pursue Disinfectant Cleaner
A leading household cleaner - Cost less than other top brands, more uses per bottle and it is recommended for sanitizing food contact surfaces without rinsing or wiping. Kills 20 different types of viruses, fungi and bateria - including E-coli, Salmonellacholerasuis and S. Schottmuelleri, Shigella dysenteria and Staphylococcus aureus - which can cause gastroenteritis, food poisoning, diarrhea, nausea, cramps and vomitting.
Other Important Supplies
a. Personal Hygiene Products(sanitary napkins, toothbrush, toilet paper etc.)
b. Hand Sanitzers
c. First Aid Kits
d. Medication
e. Portable battery for cell phone
f. Flash Light and batteries, lanterns and glow sticks.
g. Outside food cooker- Barbeque Grills are great
h. Water-proof pouches for Documents- Birth Certicates, Insurance Policies
i. Manual Can Openers
j. Rubber boots and gloves for adults and children
k. Raincoats for adults and children
l. Insect Repellent
m. Portable air bed with pump
n. Matches and lighter
o. Portable Generator
p. Tarpaulins
q. Rope
r. Artificial ice, blue ice, ice packs
s. Fire Extinguisher
t. Radio - portable battery operated
u. Knife, cutting tool
v. Digital or instant-read food thermometers
w. Coolers
x. Food Thermos
Current Weather Forecast throughout the USA
Be Prepared to Protect
Look for Tax Breaks Associated With Emergency Preparedness
Helpful Reminder
Virginia and Louisiana are the only states with a sales tax exemption on hurricane preparedness supplies for this year, 2008. Florida is another state which institutes such a tax break but did not reauthorize it in 2008 due to budget shortfalls.
Tax breaks are usually for a week only and generally fall around May 25 - May 31 of each year in order that preparations can be put in place for the June 1 Hurricane season."
We Lost Our Power Supply...Now What???
This is When You Start to Ask Questions.........
Keep the freezer and refrigerator doors closed as much as possible in order to maintain a cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food safely for at least 4hours if unopened. A full freezer will hold its temperature for 48hours if it remains closed.
Obtain dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible if the power remains off for a prolonged period of time. 50lbs of dry ice should hold an 18 cubic foot full freezer for 2days.
Know where you can purchase dry ice and block ice in your area.
Coolers:If you have children, consider putting juices, water and other foods currently stored in the fridgeand that will be used quickly, into the cooler.This will help keep the children comfortable and keep you unrattled :)
When to Save It and When to Throw It Out
Refrigerator Food
Answer:
These recommendations have been provided by the USDA
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.
DISCARD the following foods if held above 40 °F for over 2 hours
**PRINT THE LIST PROVIDED FOR FUTURE USE**
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MEAT, POULTRY, SEAFOOD - Raw or leftover cooked meat, poultry, fish, or seafood; soy meat substitutes
2. Thawing meat or poultry
3. Meat, tuna, shrimp,chicken, or egg salad
4. Gravy, stuffing, broth
5. Lunchmeats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, dried beef
6. Pizza - with any topping
7. Canned hams labeled "Keep Refrigerated"
8. Canned meats and fish, opened
CHEESE - Soft Cheeses: blue/bleu, Roquefort, Brie, Camembert, cottage, cream, Edam, Monterey Jack, ricotta, mozzarella, Muenster, Neufchatel, queso blanco, queso fresco
1. Shredded Cheeses
2. Low-fat Cheeses
DAIRY - Milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, evaporated milk, yogurt, eggnog, soy milk
1. Baby formula, opened
EGGS - Fresh eggs, hard-cooked in shell, egg dishes, egg products
1. Custards and puddings
CASSEROLES, SOUPS, STEWS
FRUITS - Fresh fruits cuts
Some foods will last longer with no refrigeration but it is recommended that the following foods be thrown away if above 50 °F for over 8 hrs
SAUCES, SPREADS, JAMS - Opened mayonnaise, tartar sauce, horseradish
1. Fish sauces (oyster sauce)
2. Opened creamy-based dressings
3. Spaghetti sauce, opened jar
BREAD, CAKES, COOKIES,PASTA, GRAINS
1. Refrigerator biscuits,rolls, cookie dough
2. Cooked pasta, rice, potatoes
3. Pasta salads with mayonnaise or vinaigrette
4. Fresh pasta
5. Cheesecake
PIES, PASTRY
1. Pastries, cream filled
2. Pies - custard,cheese filled, or chiffon; quiche
VEGETABLES
1. Greens, pre-cut, pre-washed, packaged
2. Vegetables, cooked; tofu
3. Vegetable juice, opened
4. Baked potatoes
5. Commercial garlic in oil
6. Potato Salad
SAFE Foods held above 40°F for over 2 hours
CHEESE
1. Hard Cheeses: Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, provolone, Romano
2. Processed Cheeses
3. Grated Parmesan, Romano, or combination (in can or jar)
DAIRY
1. Butter, margarine
FRUITS
1. Fruit juices, opened
2. Canned fruits, opened
3. Fresh fruits, coconut, raisins, dried fruits, candied fruits, dates
SAUCES, SPREADS, JAMSheld above 50 °F for over 8 hrs
1. Peanut butter
2. Jelly, relish, taco sauce, mustard,
3. Catsup, olives, pickles
4. Worcestershire, soy, barbecue, Hoisin sauces
5. Opened vinegar-based dressings
BREAD, CAKES, COOKIES,PASTA, GRAINS
Bread, rolls, cakes, muffins, quick breads, tortillas
1. Breakfast foods -waffles, pancakes, bagels
2. Pies, fruit
VEGETABLES
1. Fresh mushrooms, herbs, spices
2. Vegetables, raw
**Content Last Modified September 2006**
Freezer Foods
FOOD Still has ice crystals and feels as cold as if refrigerated.
Freezer Foods that are thawed and held above 40 °F for over 2 hours should be discarded, except for hard cheese, breads, flour, cornmeal, nuts, Breakfast items -waffles, pancakes, bagels. Check Fruit and Vegetable Juices for yeasty smell, or sliminess.
MEAT, POULTRY, SEAFOOD
*Beef, veal, lamb, pork, and ground meats.
*Poultry and ground poultry
*Variety meats (liver, kidney, heart, chitterlings)
*Casseroles, stews, soups.
*Fish, shellfish, breaded seafood products..you can refreeze, however, there will be some texture and flavor loss.
DAIRY Milk, may lose some texture.
EGGS (out of shell) and egg products
CHEESE (soft and semi-soft)May lose some texture
*Hard cheeses
*Shredded cheeses
*Casseroles containing milk, cream, eggs, soft cheeses
*Cheesecake
FRUITS
*Juices
*Home or commercially packaged
VEGETABLES
*Juices
BREADS, PASTRIES
*Breads, rolls, muffins, cakes (without custard fillings)
*Cakes, pies, pastries with custard or cheese filling
*Pie crusts, commercial and homemade bread dough Some quality loss may occur.
OTHER
*Casseroles - pasta, rice based
*Flour, cornmeal, nuts
*Breakfast items -waffles, pancakes, bagels
*Frozen meal, entree, specialty items (pizza, sausage and biscuit, meat pie,convenience foods)
Weather Reports - Worldwide
Be Prepared to Protect
New York, USA daily feeds listed below
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers about Food Safety in Disaster Situations
Question: How do I know the temperature of the refrigerator and freezer food?
Answer: You will need to purchase a digital or instant-read food and appliance thermometers to know if foods are at a safe temperature.The appliance thermometer should be kept in the refrigerator and freezer at all times, so that when the power is lost, the appliance thermometer will indicate the temperature inside the unit.
The refrigerator temperature should be 40°F or below; the freezer, 0°F or lower. If you're not sure a particular food is cold enough, take its temperature with a food thermometer.
When news is aired of approaching bad weather, set your fridge and freezer to the coldest temperature settings.
Question: How Do I Salvage Metal Food Cans and Retort Pouches Recovered After a Flood?
Answer:Undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans and retort pouches (for example, flexible, shelf-stable juice or seafood pouches) can be saved if you do the following:
1. Remove the labels, if they are the removable kind, since they can harbor dirt and bacteria.
2. Brush or wipe away any dirt or silt
3. Thoroughly wash the cans or retort pouches with soap and water, using hot water if it is available.
4. Rinse the cans or retort pouches with water that is safe for drinking, if available, since dirt or residual soap will reduce the effectiveness of chlorine sanitation.
5. Then, sanitize them by immersion placing in a freshly made solution consisting of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water (or the cleanest, clearest water available) for 15 minutes.
6. Air-dry cans or retort pouches for a minimum of 1 hour before opening or storing.
7. If the labels were removable, then re-label your cans or retort pouches, including the expiration date (if available), with a marker.
8. Any concentrated baby formula in reconditioned, all-metal containers must be diluted with clean, drinking water.
What to Do if You are Unsure of the Safety of Your Tap Water After a Disaster
Use bottled water that has not been exposed to flood waters if it is available.* If you don't have bottled water, you should boil water to make sure it is safe. Boiling water will kill most types of disease-causing organisms that may be present. If the water is cloudy, filter it through clean cloths or allow it to settle, and draw off the clear water for boiling. Boil the water for one minute, let it cool, and store it in clean containers with covers.
* If you can't boil water, you can disinfect it using household bleach. Bleach will kill some, but not all, types of disease-causing organisms that may be in the water. If the water is cloudy, filter it through clean cloths or allow it to settle, and draw off the clear water for disinfection. Add 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops) of regular, unscented, liquid household bleach for each gallon of water, stir it well and let it stand for 30 minutes before you use it. Store disinfected water in clean containers with covers.
* If you have a well that had been flooded, the water should be tested and disinfected after flood waters recede. If you suspect that your well may be contaminated, contact your local or state health department or agriculture extension agent for specific advice.
Don't Wait Till the Last Minute to Purchase Supplies
Start Accumulating Your Supplies NOW...its Less Stress on Your Budget
You and your family's continued existence depends on preparedness and knowledge for survival.
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