Summer Weather Brings Risk of Power Outages, Foodborne Illness

Along with heat and humidity, summer brings with it the risk of severe weather. Heat waves in the east, hurricanes in the south, flooding in the Midwest and violent storms elsewhere means that there is a chance that many will be without power. So, what does the mean for all the food in your refrigerator and freezer? Will it be safe to eat after a power outage?

Whenever food is stored above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it can become a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, listeria, clostridium perfringens and other dangerous foodborne pathogens. In the event of a natural disaster, like a flood or hurricane, keeping food safe and stored at the proper temperatures becomes a challenge. Here are some types for keeping your family safe during a weather emergency and power outages.

• Keep thermometers in your refrigerator, freezer or cooler and make sure that the temperature doesn’t surpass 40 degrees. If it does, the food may no longer be safe to eat.
• Frozen foods can be re-frozen if they stay below 40 degrees and have visible ice crystals
• Use ice, frozen gel packs or frozen containers to help keep the temperature down in your refrigerator, freezer and/or cooler
• If possible, plan ahead and buy dry ice or block ice
• Group food together in the freezer to help it stay cold longer
• Keep your refrigerator, freezer and cooler closed as much as possible; this will help to keep them colder. According to the FSIS, an unopened refrigerator will keep food at a safe temperature for 4 hours. An unopened, full freezer will store foods safely for 48 hours, 24 hours is the rule of thumb if the freezer is only half full.

Never rely on a “taste” or “smell” test to determine if foods are safe to eat. The human nose cannot detect the presence of dangerous pathogens like E. coli or Salmonella which can cause serious, life-threatening foodborne illnesses. Stick with the principle “When in Doubt, Throw it Out!”

Here in Louisiana and other Gulf states, there is always a risk of a hurricane and flood.  Even though Tropical Storm Bonnie mostly fizzled out before she hit the coast, her impact on the weather still caused some flooding in the Baton Rouge area. If you or a loved one is at risk for, or has experienced flooding, here are some food safety tips:

• Store food on high shelves that will be safe from flooding.
• Do not eat food that has been exposed to flood waters, as it may have picked up dangerous pathogens that can cause food poisoning.
• Throw away food that was not stored in a waterproof container.
• Inspect canned items and look for swelling, leakage, punctures, holes, fractures, rusting or other deformations. Discard home canned foods, as their containers are not waterproof. Factory canned items and pouches should be washed in soap and warm water and the labels, which could harbor dangerous bacteria, should be discarded. Remember to re-label the items using expiration dates.
• Thoroughly wash and sanitize all cooking utensils and countertops.
• Use and drink bottled water that hasn’t been exposed to flood waters.
• If you don’t have bottled water, boiling water can kill most waterborne illness. If the water is cloudy, filter it or wait for it to settle before drawing off the clear water for boiling.
• If you have a well, make sure it is tested before using it again. Wells can harbor dangerous pathogens like E. coli 0157:H7, which it know to cause hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a dangerous secondary condition that can be caused by infection with E. coli. Hemolytic uremic syndrome affects the red blood cells and can cause kidney failure and death. Children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are most at risk of E. coli infection and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

The burden of safety always rests with food manufacturers. It is their job to keep our food supply safe and free of dangerous pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella and listeria. However, weather emergencies, power outages and floods can pose unusual and serious risk of food poisoning. Severe weather can strike quickly and without warning. That’s why the  Office of Homeland Security urges you to “Get A Gameplan” to prepare for the threats that come along with dangerous summer weather.