USDA CONSUMER ALERT: Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency

June 19, 2008

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing recommendations to those affected by severe weather and flooding in the Midwest. USDA is hopeful that this information will help minimize the potential for foodborne illnesses due to power outages and other problems that are often associated with severe weather events.

“Severe weather events can mean power outages, floods, and other problems that can affect the safety of food,” said USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Richard Raymond. “People living in areas subject to floods may cope by raising refrigerators or freezers off the floor, putting cement blocks under their corners. Even if you can’t manage this, canned goods and other foods kept in a basement or low cabinets should be moved higher in the event of a flood.”

Steps to follow to prepare for a possible weather emergency:

Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer. An appliance thermometer will indicate the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer in case of a power outage and help determine the safety of the food.
Make sure the freezer is at 0 °F or below and the refrigerator is at 40 °F or below.
Freeze containers of water for ice to help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator or coolers after the power is out.
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.
Plan ahead and know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased.
Store food on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.
Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerator food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours. Purchase or make ice cubes and store in the freezer for use in the refrigerator or in a cooler. Freeze gel packs ahead of time for use in coolers.
Group food together in the freezer — this helps the food stay cold longer.

Steps to follow after the weather emergency:

Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature.
The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) and the door remains closed.
Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers and deli items after 4 hours without power.
Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40 °F or below when checked with a food thermometer.
Never taste a food to determine its safety!
Obtain dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator and freezer as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic-foot full freezer for 2 days.
If the power has been out for several days, check the temperature of the freezer with an appliance thermometer. If the appliance thermometer reads 40 °F or below, the food is safe to refreeze.
If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. If the food still contains ice crystals, the food is safe.
Drink only bottled water if flooding has occurred.
Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with flood water. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers.
Undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans and retort pouches (for example, flexible, shelf-stable juice or seafood pouches) can be saved.
Thoroughly wash all metal pans, ceramic dishes and utensils that came in contact with flood water with hot soapy water and sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water.
When in Doubt, Throw it Out!
Food Safety During Power Outages

Study Found Pre-packaged Spinach Advertised as "Ready-to-eat" is Actually Misleading

June 12, 2007

Eat your leafy greens. While nutritionists commonly suggest this, a recent study by two Simmons students looking at the cleanliness of bagged spinach has uncovered data that could have ramifications for future research as well as the entire produce industry.

Simmons College nutrition graduate student Diana Bruen and undergraduate biochemistry major Asja Asceric received a grant from the Society for Applied Microbiology and this past spring traveled to Wales, England, to attend a four-day Food Microbiology Conference. During the conference, the two young women gave a presentation of their spinach study.

While taking a microbiology class last year with Professor Elizabeth Scott, Bruen became interested in the bacteria levels present on “ready-to-eat” produce. In an effort to facilitate cross collaboration between departments, Bruen and Asceric conducted their independent study in the biology department on the amount of bacteria present in pre-packaged spinach.

With assistance from Scott, the Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community, and the biology department, the students began their research last September looking into spoilage bacteria and E.coli contamination on three types of spinach: “field washed” spinach that has only been rinsed and not packaged, “triple-washed,” and “thoroughly washed” pre-packaged spinach.

During the course of several months, they conducted bi-weekly test samplings and culturings and found that - over the course of seven days - bacteria levels increased in all three types of spinach, including significant growth in the “thoroughly washed” brand.

The students found that pre-packaged spinach advertised as “ready-to-eat” is actually misleading, and that consumers should wash all types of spinach before consumption. Bruen and Asceric hope to see future studies exploring this topic to see if reducing bacterial counts by various washing techniques could increase the refrigerated shelf life of pre-packaged spinach.

Food Contamination - Play it Safe!

December 2006

What to make of all the food scares and still keep eating safely!

The current rash of events related to contaminated foods is both confusing and scary for the consumer. For example, this past summer we had the ongoing story of spinach contaminated with E.coli O157. Then we had contaminated tomatoes. Now we hear that 80% of poultry is contaminated with Campylobacter.

So what is a consumer to do? First, let’s get some perspective.

We have to know that all raw foods are contaminated with bacteria, and some of these are pathogens. In fact, we should assume that all raw meat and poultry is contaminated with pathogens such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, and handle it accordingly. Produce can also become contaminated with pathogens from the dirt and from contaminated water if it is used for irrigation and for washing the picked produce before it goes to market. This is really nothing new and there is no doubt that we will continue to hear about outbreaks of illness associated with contaminated raw foods. But, consumers can take steps to protect themselves, no matter what new food scares occur. The last line of defense against food poisoning is in understanding and employing simple, safe food handling practices at home, as follows:

•Wash hands thoroughly following contact with raw food, especially meat & poultry and their juices. If the juices leak out of the package and get on your hands at the store, use an alcohol gel to sanitize your hands.

•At home, store all meat and poultry in a container in the refrigerator (at less than 40 degrees F), so that the juices to not drip onto other foods.

•Refrigerate all green leaf salads.

•Clean and sanitize all surfaces that come into contact with meat and poultry, such as the cutting board and knife, so as to prevent cross-contamination to other foods. Use an EPA approved food -surface sanitizer or a bleach solution.

•Do not mop up juices with the kitchen sponge, because bacteria thrive in the sponge and can contaminate the next surface that is wiped. Use paper towels instead.

•Cook meat thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees F. Use an instant read meat thermometer to check.

•Do not put cooked meats back onto a dish that contained the raw meat.

•Thoroughly wash all fresh produce, including pre-packaged, pre-washed salads under running water.

In addition, some members of the family are especially vulnerable to the effects of food poisoning because of their immature or compromised immune systems. Individuals at higher risk include children under five and adults over 65, pregnant women, individuals with pre-existing medical conditions and those undergoing chemotherapy etc. These individuals should avoid all raw or undercooked foods of animal origin, including eggs. All fruit, vegetables and salads should be carefully rinsed under running water.

For more information on food borne illnesses go to www.cdc.gov.

Written by Liz Scott, Co-Director of the Simmons Center and co-author of How to Prevent Food Poisoning. A Practical Guide to Safe Cooking, Eating, and Food Handling (Scott/Sockett. 1998. Published by John Wiley & Sons).

To print this article:

What to make of all the food scares and still keep eating safely! (PDF)

Other News:

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NIH Fresh Spinach Cleared for Consumption Again

US FDA Announces Findings From Investigation of Foodborne E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak in Spinach