The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing food safety recommendations.
The food recommendations are for parts of the Midwest as severe storms have caused widespread flooding from central Oklahoma to southern Indiana and parts of Missouri.
The National Weather Service reports that significant flooding will continue across the region and more than 79,000 people are without power as additional rainfall and high winds are expected.
Destruction and power outages caused by severe weather can compromise food storage, especially frozen and refrigerated foods.
FSIS recommends that consumers take the following steps to keep food safe and avoid the risk of food borne illness during severe weather events.
FSIS recommends to not eat any food that may have come into contact with flood water.
Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with flood water.
Inspect canned foods and discard any food in damaged cans.
Before losing power, keep thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer to ensure temperatures remain food safe during a power outage. Safe temperatures are 40?F or lower in the refrigerator, 0?F or lower in the freezer.
Group foods together in the freezer, this helps the food stay cold longer. Keep a few days worth of ready-to-eat foods that do not require cooking or cooling.
If the power does goes out, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Place meat and poultry to one side of the freezer or on a tray to prevent cross contamination of thawing juices.
Use dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible during an extended power outage.
After a weather emergency, check the temperature inside of your refrigerator and freezer. Discard any perishable food that has been above 40?F for two hours or more.
Throw out any food that has an unusual odor, color or texture or feels warm to the touch.
Never taste a food to decide if it?s safe. When in doubt, throw it out.
