Food Safety Preparation Tips as Tropical Storm Isaac Intensifies in Gulf of Mexico

Native News Network Staff in Native Health. Discussion »

WASHINGTON – As Americans living in the Gulf region of the United States brace for Tropical Storm Isaac coming ashore with a strong blast, eight federally recognized tribes are potentially on the pathway of Isaac in four different states (see list below).

Tropical Storm Isaac's Position this Morning at 4:52 am edt

In preparation of the storm coming ashore, becoming a hurricane, and creating havoc, the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service urges them to make food safety a part of their preparation efforts. Power outages and flooding that often result from weather emergencies compromise the safety of stored food, and planning ahead can minimize the risk of foodborne illness.

"Storing perishable food at proper temperatures is crucial to food safety but can become difficult if you lose electricity for your refrigerator and freezer,"

USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen said.

"For those living in Tropical Storm Isaac's projected path, we recommend stocking up on canned food, bottled water, batteries, and dry ice."

The publication "A Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes" is available at www.fsis.usda.gov to print and keep for reference during a power outage. Florida residents can get timely food safety information on Twitter by following @Fl_FSISAlert

Steps to follow to prepare for a possible weather emergency:

Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer to help determine if food is safe during power outages. The refrigerator temperature should be 40º F or lower and the freezer should be 0º F or lower.
Store food on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.
Group food together in the freezer - this helps the food stay cold longer.
Freeze refrigerated items such as leftovers, milk and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately - this helps keep them at a safe temperature longer.
Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerator food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours.
Purchase or make ice and store in the freezer for use in the refrigerator or in a cooler. Freeze gel packs ahead of time for use in coolers.
Plan ahead and know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased.

Steps to follow if the power goes out:

Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
A refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if you keep the door closed.
A full freezer will keep its temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if half-full).
If the power is out for an extended period of time, buy dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep a fully-stocked 18 cubic feet freezer cold for two days.

Steps to follow after a weather emergency:

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posted August 27, 2012 7:20 am edt