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1. Preventive food safety measures in the aftermath of natural disasters

In this section Introduction 1. Preventive food safety measures in the aftermath of natural disasters 2. Consumer education and information 3. Inspecting and salvaging food 4. Provision of food after a natural disaster 5. Response to an outbreak of foodborne disease Annex: "5 Keys for Safer Food - in regions hit by disasters"

During and following natural disasters, particularly floods and tsunamis, food may become contaminated by surface water that has itself been contaminated by pathogenic bacteria from sewage and wastewaters from sewer systems, septic tanks, and latrines as well as from farms and farm animal. The following issues should be investigated:

• The protection of food requires attention along the food-chain, including the primary production sectors.
• While much of the normal agricultural production may be adversely affected by flooding associated with a tsunami, there may be areas where food can still be harvested or where food has been stored safely post harvesting.
• If agricultural produce is harvested from an area affected with flooding it may be contaminated with microorganisms (from raw sewage or decaying organisms) and chemicals in the flood waters. While it is possible to reduce the potential hazard associated microorganisms by thoroughly cooking the produce, such actions may not remove chemical hazards. Therefore only harvest food from affected areas where it is necessary and where you can be confident that chemical contamination has not occurred. Also ensure the product is properly identified as being harvested from an affected area.
• Similarly agricultural produce that was stored in the affected areas at the time of the disaster may also be affected by the flood waters. Such food should be treated as with food harvested from affected areas.
• If crop fields have been contaminated by human excreta, following floods or damage to sewerage systems, an assessment should be carried out rapidly to assess the contamination of crops and to establish measures, such as delayed harvesting and thorough washing and cooking, to reduce the risk of transmitting faecal pathogens.
• Foods that have not been affected should be protected against exposure to other sources of contamination and not kept under conditions in which bacterial growth may occur.

Safe and hygienic warehouse management must be observed:

• Storage structures should have good roofs and ventilation. Products should be kept at away from walls and off the floor. Pallets, boards, heavy branches, bricks, or plastic bags or sheets should be placed underneath them. Bags should be piled two-by-two cross-wise to permit ventilation.
• Spilled food should be swept up and disposed of promptly to discourage rats.
• Fuel, pesticides, bleach and other chemical stocks should never be stored together with food.
• If spray operations for pest control are needed, they should be carried out by qualified technical staff, under the close supervision of the national authority (Ministry of Health / Ministry of Agriculture). Wearing of protective gear to reduce exposure of the operators to toxic chemicals is essential.

Safe food handling during food distribution and preparation must be assured

During emergency response operations, large-scale distribution of imported or locally-purchased food items as well as mass preparation of cooked food frequently occur. In this context special attention must be brought to the following:

• All foods used in food distribution and mass feeding programmes must be fit for human consumption (as well as being nutritionally and culturally appropriate) The quality and safety of all items should be controlled before importation or local purchase and any unfit items be rejected.
• Stocks should be regularly inspected and any suspect stocks should be separated from other stocks and samples be sent to a suitable laboratory for analysis; in the meantime they should not be used.
• Kitchen supervisors, cooks and ancillary personnel should be trained in personal hygiene and the principles of safe food preparation (See Annex).
• Kitchen supervisors should be trained to be able to recognize potential hazards and apply appropriate food safety measures; the personal hygiene of personnel involved in food preparation should be monitored.
• Employees and volunteers preparing food should not be suffering from an illness with any of the following symptoms: jaundice, diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, sore throat (with fever), visibly infected skin lesions (boils, cuts, etc.), or discharge from the ears, eyes or nose.
• Cleaners should be employed to keep the kitchen and surrounding areas clean; they should be properly trained and their work supervised and there must be adequate facilities for waste disposal.
• Water and soap must be provided for personal cleanliness, and detergent for cleaning utensils and surfaces which should also be sanitized with boiling water or a sanitizing agent, e.g. bleach solution.
• Foods should be stored in containers that will prevent contamination by rodents, insects, or other animals
• Hot and/or cold holding of food may have to be improvised.

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