Owner`s manual

PREVENTION IS THE KEY
If it's not too late, prevent
floodwater from coming into
contact with food by:
♦ Raising refrigerators and
freezers by placing cement
blocks under their corners.
♦ Moving food from low
cabinets.
♦ Moving canned goods and
other food stored in the
basement to the upstairs.
Additional resources:
Your county family living agent, your
local emergency government office,
the American Red Cross, the
Federal Emergency Management
Agency
Related publications:
“Repairing Your Flooded Home,” the
American Red Cross/Federal
Emergency Management Agency,
1992.
UW-Extension Publications–
“Management of Food for
Emergencies,” (B3045);
“Quick Consumer Guide to Safe
Food Handling,” (BG248);
“When the Home Freezer Stops,”
(B2837);
“Keeping Food Safe,” (B3474).
♦ If the floodwater contained waste from septic tanks, sewage lagoons or a
pasture, your garden will take about a month to become clean. Don't eat
or preserve food during this time.
♦ Ask if your local health department will test the garden soil for harmful
bacteria. It may be able to determine whether immature root crops are
safe.
♦ Discard leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach and cabbage, as well as soft
berries. These are highly susceptible to bacterial contamination. Silt and
other contaminants may be difficult to remove from them.
♦ Wash beans, peas, tomatoes, peppers and summer squash in water. Then
soak in a weak chlorine solution of 2 tablespoons chlorine bleach to a
gallon of water. Peel and cook them thoroughly before eating.
♦ For underground vegetables such as carrots and potatoes, wash in water
and sanitize as above. Peel and cook them thoroughly before eating.
♦ Produce with a protected fruit or impervious outer skin, such as peas,
melons, eggplant, sweet corn or winter squash, should be washed and
disinfected before the outer shell, skin or husk is removed. Then shell,
peel or husk the produce and cook if possible.
REFRIGERATION AND FREEZER CONCERNS
If the electricity is off to the refrigerator or freezer, follow these guidelines:
♦ Discard refrigerated meats, seafood, milk, soft cheese, eggs, prepared
foods and cookie doughs if they have been kept above 40 degrees F. for
over two hours. Also discard thawed items that have warmed above 40
degrees F., with the exception of breads and plain cakes.
♦ Discard any refrigerated items that turn moldy or have an unusual odor
or appearance.
♦ Refreeze partially or completely frozen foods.
♦ Cold but fully thawed, uncooked meat, fish or poultry should be checked
for off-odor. If there is none, cook and eat or cook and refreeze.
♦ Discard combination dishes such as stews, casseroles and meat pies if
they are thawed.
♦ Refreeze thawed (but cold) juices, baked goods and dairy items such as
cream, cheese and butter.
♦ Do not refreeze thawed vegetables unless ice crystals remain. Cook and
use them if there are no off-odors.
Information from: University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, University of Missouri
Extension
University of Wisconsin-Extension • Cooperative Extension