Susan Conley 202-368-6157
Bessie Berry 202-746-7218
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USDA CONSUMER ALERT
Keeping Food Safe During An Emergency
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2003 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture
is providing recommendations in advance of the upcoming hurricane in an effort
to help minimize the potential for foodborne illness.
Steps to follow to prepare for a
possible weather emergency:
-
Keep an appliance thermometer in the
refrigerator and freezer. An appliance thermometer will indicate the temperature
in the refrigerator and freezer in case of a power outage and help determine the
safety of the food.
-
Make sure the freezer is at or below 0˚ F
and the refrigerator is at or below 40˚ F.
-
Freeze containers of water for ice to
help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator or coolers after the power is
out.
-
Freeze refrigerated items such as
leftovers, milk and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately -
this helps keep them at a safe temperature longer.
-
Plan ahead and know where dry ice and
block ice can be purchased.
-
Store food on shelves that will be safely
out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.
-
Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerator
food cold if the power will be out for more than four hours. Purchase or make
ice cubes and store in the freezer for use in the refrigerator or in a cooler.
Freeze gel packs ahead of time for use in coolers.
-
Group food together in the freezer – this
helps the food stay cold longer.
Steps to follow after the weather
emergency:
-
Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors
closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature.
-
The refrigerator will keep food safely
cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the
temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full and the door
remains closed.)
-
Food may be safely refrozen if it still
contains ice crystals or is at 40˚ F or below.
-
Never taste a food to determine its
safety!
-
Obtain dry or block ice to keep your
refrigerator and freezer as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for
a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic-foot
full freezer for 2 days.
-
If the power has been out for several
days, check the temperature of the freezer with an appliance thermometer or food
thermometer. If the food still contains ice crystals or is at 40˚ F or below,
the food is safe.
-
If a thermometer has not been kept in the
freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. If the food still
contains ice crystals, the food is safe.
-
Discard refrigerated perishable food such
as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers and deli items after
4 hours without power.
-
Drink only bottled water if flooding has
occurred.
-
Discard all food that came in contact
with flood waters including canned goods. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic
utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers.
-
Thoroughly wash all metal pans, ceramic
dishes and utensils that came in contact with flood water with hot soapy water
and sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes
in a solution of 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach per quart of water.
-
When in Doubt, Throw it Out!
For additional information on food safety during an
emergency, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline
(1-888-674-6854); for the hearing-impaired (TTY) 1-800-256-7072.
The Hotline is staffed by food safety experts
weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time. Food safety recordings can be
heard 24 hours a day using a touch-tone phone. The media may contact the USDA
Meat and Poultry Hotline at (301) 504-6258. Information is also available from
the FSIS Web site:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov
#
Note to EditorS:
A radio interview on Keeping Food
Safe During an Emergency and Power Outage has been recorded with Dr. Elsa Murano,
Under Secretary for Food Safety, and is available for radio stations to download
and air. The interview can be found at the USDA Web site at:
www.fsis.usda.gov
Links to Radio Interview - Real Audio, MP3, and WAV Formats
FOOD SAFETY REMINDERS FOR WEATHER EMERGENCIES
Real -
http://www.usda.gov/agency/oc/bmtc/audio/real/RCN1MG.RA
MP3 -
http://www.usda.gov/agency/oc/bmtc/audio/mp3/RCN1MG.MP3
WAV -
http://www.usda.gov/agency/oc/bmtc/audio/wave/RCN1MG.WAV
ACTUALITY: NEEDS DURING A WEATHER EMERGENCY
Real -
http://www.usda.gov/agency/oc/bmtc/audio/real/RCN1MH.RA
MP3 -
http://www.usda.gov/agency/oc/bmtc/audio/mp3/RCN1MH.MP3
WAV -
http://www.usda.gov/agency/oc/bmtc/audio/wave/RCN1MH.WAV
ACTUALITY: MEAT AND POULTRY HOTLINE
Real -
http://www.usda.gov/agency/oc/bmtc/audio/real/RCN1MI.RA
MP3 -
http://www.usda.gov/agency/oc/bmtc/audio/mp3/RCN1MI.MP3
WAV -
http://www.usda.gov/agency/oc/bmtc/audio/wave/RCN1MI.WAV
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For Further Information, Contact:
FSIS Congressional and Public Affairs Staff
Phone: (202) 720-9113
Fax: (202) 690-0460
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