TL;DR
Get kitchen staples and gadgets delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Food Safety News published hurricane recovery guidance on Oct. 9, 2026, warning that floodwater and extended power outages can make food and kitchen items unsafe. The advice includes discarding exposed foods and certain utensils, using safe drinking water, and cleaning and sanitizing salvageable metal and ceramic items.
Food Safety News published hurricane recovery guidance on Oct. 9, 2026, advising people to discard food that may have contacted floodwater, avoid tasting food to judge whether it is safe, and take precautions after prolonged power outages. The guidance matters because floodwater and loss of refrigeration can make food and food-contact items unsafe even when damage is not obvious.
The report says people should never taste food to test its safety. If a refrigerator and freezer have been without power for several days, it advises throwing away their contents. It refers readers to a federal food-safety chart for decisions about food after an outage; the source material does not reproduce that chart or specify separate time limits for refrigerated and frozen foods.
For drinking, the report advises using bottled water or other beverages that have not contacted floodwater. It warns that screw caps are not waterproof and says to discard bottled drinks that may have been exposed. When bottled water is unavailable, it points readers to instructions for safely boiling or disinfecting water, but the supplied report does not give those procedures.
Food in packaging that is not waterproof should be discarded if it may have contacted floodwater. The report identifies containers with screw caps, snap lids, pull tops or crimped caps as non-waterproof. It says undamaged commercially prepared food in all-metal cans and retort pouches may be saved by following the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s severe-storm and hurricane food-safety guide.
Items that touched floodwater need separate attention. Metal pans, utensils and ceramic dishes should be washed thoroughly with hot, soapy water, rinsed and sanitized, the report says. Its suggested method is boiling them in clean water or immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of one tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water. Wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby-bottle nipples and pacifiers exposed to floodwater should be discarded.
Protecting Food After Flooding
The recommendations address two distinct hazards: floodwater contamination and food spoiling during a power outage. They also distinguish between items that may be cleaned and sanitized and porous or difficult-to-sanitize items that should be thrown away. Following that distinction can help households avoid relying on appearance or smell alone when deciding what to keep.
Safe water is part of the same recovery problem. Floodwater may contact drinks, food packaging and kitchen equipment, while power disruptions can limit refrigeration and access to clean water. The report’s advice gives households practical discard and cleaning rules, while directing readers to federal resources for more detailed decisions.
food safety thermometer for hurricane recovery
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
The Hazards After a Hurricane
The Food Safety News report, published October 9, 2026, frames its recommendations around floods and prolonged outages following hurricanes. Floodwater can reach food containers and utensils, and loss of power can compromise refrigerated or frozen food. The report does not describe a particular storm, affected location or official emergency order; it presents general recovery guidance.
For questions, the report lists the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854, available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time in English or Spanish. It also lists MPHotline@usda.gov and the Ask USDA live chat service.
Outage Details and Local Conditions
The source does not identify a specific hurricane or explain whether the guidance responds to a particular ongoing emergency. It also does not provide the referenced chart’s detailed criteria for deciding which refrigerated or frozen foods to discard after an outage. Those decisions may depend on conditions not detailed in the report, including how long power was out and the state of the food.
The report points readers to separate instructions for boiling or disinfecting water and to USDA guidance on salvaging canned and retort-pouch foods. Those step-by-step directions are not included in the supplied material. Local authorities may also issue water-use or boil-water instructions; the report does not address any location-specific advisories.
Use Federal and Local Guidance
People recovering from a storm can consult the USDA’s severe-storm and hurricane food-safety guide for the referenced food chart and details on handling eligible canned goods and retort pouches. For help with meat, poultry and other food-safety questions, the report directs readers to the USDA hotline, email or Ask USDA live chat.
Residents should also follow current instructions from local emergency and public-health officials, particularly about drinking water. The source does not announce a later update or deadline; its advice is intended for use during cleanup and recovery.
Key Questions
Should I taste food to see whether it is safe after a hurricane?
No. The report says not to taste food to determine whether it is safe. Discard food that may have contacted floodwater, and follow the relevant outage guidance for refrigerated or frozen items.
What should I do with food 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 refers readers to a federal chart for more detailed decisions; the supplied report does not include the chart or its item-by-item rules.
Can I keep food in a can or retort pouch that contacted floodwater?
The report says undamaged, commercially prepared food in all-metal cans and retort pouches may be saved by following the USDA’s severe-storm and hurricane food-safety guide. It does not give the full salvage procedure in the article.
Which kitchen items should be discarded after floodwater exposure?
Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby-bottle nipples and pacifiers that may have contacted floodwater. Metal pans, utensils and ceramic dishes can be washed and then sanitized using the methods described in the guidance.
Where can I ask a food-safety question?
The report lists the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, in English or Spanish. It also lists MPHotline@usda.gov and Ask USDA live chat.
Source: rss
Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day Picks
long weekend sales
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
