Food safety: Before, During and After Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Irene is making its way across the eastern seaboard of the United States, a rare trajectory for such a powerful storm.  With damage expected in the billions of dollars and uncertainty about the degree to which storm damage will disable access to utilities and supplies for the large population on the East Coast of the United States, the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Agriculture reminded Americans of some food safety tips which can help during this crisis.  USA Today summarized these tips into the following categories:

• Before the storm hits (What food items should you have on hand?  How should you store them?)
• If the power goes out (How do preserve refrigerated food?  How can you determine if food items are still safe?)
• When the power comes back on (How do you evaluate which items to keep?)
• If food got wet (What to do with food items and food preparation items that were exposed to the elements.)
• Water (How do you know if the local water supply is safe to drink again?)
• Medications (How to stock and store your medications.)
• Pets (Advice for caring for your pet in cases of evacuation.)

Posted by Michael Lucivero.

Photo credit: NASA