October of 2012 will be remembered as ending on a howling note -- as in the howling of winds and the surging of floods -- with Hurricane Sandy pounding the East Coast.
Hurricanes and other weather disasters may make some of us feel smug about our safer geographical locations, but any forces of nature, anywhere, should get us to thinking about emergency preparedness.
So even though it is a glorious day in the desert where I am, I wanted to share these excellent tips on food supplies and food safety during emergencies. In the aftermath of weather-related power outages, it’s all too common for food to spoil and foodborne illnesses to result.
Become familiar with this information from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and FoodSafety.gov:
1. Stock up on bottled water in the event the public water supply becomes contaminated.
2. If you don’t have bottled water, make tap water safe to drink by boiling it for one minute, then storing it in clean, covered containers.
3. Set aside a large, waterproof container that is filled with single-serve, nonperishable items from the various food groups.
Suggestions include:
- small cereal boxes
- granola bars
- trail mix
- chips
- fruit cups
- juice boxes
- dried fruit
- pudding cups
- soy milk in aseptic containers
- peanut butter and cans of tuna
Also note that non-meat, non-mayonnaise sandwiches along with cut-up raw vegetables and whole fruit can all last a few days without refrigeration.
4. During a power outage, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed and open them only when necessary.
5. General rules of thumb on which chilled foods are safe to eat after the power is restored:
- Items in the refrigerator are okay if power is restored within four hours. But if the interior temperature has reached 45 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, foods like eggs, milk, soft cheeses, uncooked meat and fish, and cooked dishes most likely have spoiled and should be tossed.
- Items in the freezer are OK for two days without power, as long as the freezer is relatively full and the door has remained closed.
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Rush to your doctor if you got this problems.
November 6, 2012 - 2:34amThis Comment