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Food Safety News published guidance on Oct. 9 for handling food and kitchen items after hurricanes cause flooding or prolonged power outages. The advice includes discarding refrigerated and frozen food after several days without power, avoiding drinks that may have contacted floodwater, and cleaning or discarding affected utensils.
Food Safety News published guidance on Oct. 9 urging people recovering from hurricanes to discard food that may be unsafe after prolonged power outages or floodwater exposure. The advice also explains which food containers and kitchen items may be cleaned and which should be thrown away, addressing risks that can persist after floodwaters recede and electricity returns.
The report says people should never taste food to determine whether it is safe. If power has been out for several days, it advises discarding food in both the refrigerator and freezer. The article points readers to a chart for evaluating food after an extended outage, but the supplied report does not include the chart’s detailed item-by-item recommendations.
For drinks, the guidance says to use bottled water or other beverages that have not contacted floodwater. It warns that screw caps do not make containers waterproof, and says to discard bottled drinks that may have been exposed. If bottled water is unavailable, the report directs readers to learn safe water-boiling or disinfection methods.
Food that may have touched floodwater should be discarded if it is not in a waterproof container. The report identifies screw-cap, snap-lid, pull-top and crimped-cap packages as not waterproof. It says undamaged, commercially prepared food in all-metal cans and retort pouches may be saved if handled according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s severe-storm food-safety guidance.
Reducing Food Risks After Flooding
Hurricane recovery can leave households without reliable electricity or clean water, while floodwater may contact food packaging, dishes and utensils. Following the guidance can help people avoid eating food with uncertain exposure and reduce the chance of carrying contamination into meals through items used in food preparation.
The advice draws a practical distinction between items that may be salvaged and those that should be discarded. It does not treat every package or kitchen item the same: certain intact metal cans and retort pouches may be kept under USDA instructions, while wooden cutting boards and some plastic or infant-care items cannot be safely recovered after floodwater contact.
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Outage and Floodwater Guidance
The report, published by Food Safety News on Oct. 9, 2026, focuses on two separate hazards in hurricane recovery: food kept cold during a prolonged power outage and food or household items potentially exposed to floodwater. Its recommendations are presented as consumer guidance, with the USDA’s severe-storm and hurricane food-safety guide cited for additional detail on salvaging eligible packaged goods.
For metal pans, utensils and ceramic dishes that contacted floodwater, the article advises washing thoroughly with hot, soapy water, rinsing, then sanitizing. It gives two methods: boil the items in clean water, or immerse them for 15 minutes in a solution of one tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water.
The report says to discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby-bottle nipples and pacifiers that may have contacted floodwater. It says these items cannot be saved after such exposure.
“Never taste a food to determine its safety.”
— Food Safety News
Exposure Details Still Matter
The report does not specify how long individual refrigerated or frozen foods remain safe at particular temperatures, and its linked outage chart is not reproduced in the supplied material. It advises discarding refrigerator and freezer food when the outage has lasted several days, but readers needing item-specific decisions should consult the referenced USDA guidance.
It may also be difficult to tell whether food packaging or drinks contacted floodwater, particularly after a home has flooded. The article advises discarding food when there is any chance of contact unless it is in a waterproof container, and says containers with common closures such as screw caps or snap lids do not qualify. It provides no local information about water-system conditions or whether authorities have issued boil-water notices.
Where to Get Food-Safety Help
People with questions can contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, in English or Spanish. The report also lists email support at MPHotline@usda.gov and live chat through Ask USDA.
For decisions about specific packaged foods or disinfection steps, readers can consult the USDA’s Consumer’s Guide to Food Safety during severe storms and hurricanes, which the report references. Local officials may also provide updates about drinking-water safety and recovery conditions; the article does not identify any particular local advisory.
Key Questions
Should I keep food from a refrigerator after several days without power?
Food Safety News advises throwing away food in the refrigerator and freezer if power has been out for several days. It also says not to taste food to judge whether it is safe.Can bottled drinks be used after a flood?
The guidance says to drink only bottled water or other beverages that have not contacted floodwater. It warns that screw caps are not waterproof and advises discarding drinks that may have been exposed.Can food in cans or pouches be salvaged?
The report says undamaged, commercially prepared food in all-metal cans and retort pouches may be saved by following USDA severe-storm food-safety instructions. It does not provide the detailed cleaning steps for those packages.How should dishes and utensils exposed to floodwater be handled?
Wash metal pans, utensils and ceramic dishes with hot, soapy water and rinse them. Then boil them in clean water or immerse them for 15 minutes in a solution of one tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby-bottle nipples and pacifiers that may have contacted floodwater.Source: rss
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