Last year, Hurricane Ike taught Houston-area residents about the consequences of inadequate food storage.
Art history alumnus Matt Galipp was only one of thousands who were without needed supplies.
‘We did not stock up on food, and (after the storm) there was nothing open but a convenience store,’ Matt Galipp, art history alumnus, said.
He and his girlfriend, hotel and restaurant management alumna Sharon Raphaeli, repeatedly drove around Houston to find restaurants that were still operating.
Two days after Ike had passed, the couple had to drive to Katy to fill their stomachs, and the trip took three hours.
For many Houstonians like Raphaeli and Galipp, food supplies quickly became a concern for those who remained in town during the storm.
Jay Neal, professor at the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, helps to direct the school’s food safety procedures in the event of a flood or power outage.
‘Don’t wait until the day before the storm starts,’ Neal said.
Neal said that peanut butter, tuna fish, protein bars and Pop-Tarts are good products to buy prior to a major storm.
While bottled water is typically high on shoppers’ lists before a hurricane, Neal said that isn’t a necessity as used plastic bottles provide an affordable alternative.
‘You don’t have to buy the bottled water. You could use, if you clean them properly, soda bottles and milk jugs,’ Neal said. ‘Those will stay good for about four to six months.’
Prior to possible flooding or power outages, Neal encourages purchasing a small, butane-fired stove for heating canned goods. Ace Mart, a restaurant supply store in Houston, carries such products.
When power is lost during or after a major hurricane, people can follow several procedures to ensure that perishable foods are safe.
Neal said local residents should review the United States Department of Agriculture’s Web site on Food Safety and Inspection Service, located at fsis.usda.gov. According to this Web site, bacteria in food grow quickly at temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
To keep food at a safe temperature for a larger period of time, people should group food together in the freezer, keep the refrigerator closed as much as possible, and stock the refrigerator with dry ice, according to the same Web site.
According to USDA’s Web site, ‘the refrigerator will keep food safe for about four hours if it is unopened. A freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (if full) if the door remains closed.’
Neal said that utilizing refrigerator’s vegetable crispers also helps to preserve food.
‘Your refrigerator works as an ice chest,’ Neal said. ‘Take all the produce out of the crispers at the bottom, and dump two five-pound bags of ice in there.’
Meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs and other perishable items should be discarded after four hours without power, according to the USDA.
Frozen pizza will defrost in about 45 minutes, remaining safe for about four hours. Meats take longer to defrost, so they remain safe for more time, Neal said.
The USDA recommends finding a local dry ice distributor prior to a storm as well, as waiting in line for ice after the storm is not always an option.
After Ike, FEMA distributed bags of ice at Robertson Stadium for a period of approximately five days, but several people complained of inability to wait in their cars for lengthy periods of time.
While losing electricity is somewhat manageable, flooding is a greater concern to food safety experts.
‘If you have lost power and have had flooding, your ice is contaminated,’ Neal said. ‘If local health official have instituted a ‘boil recommendation,’ faucets must be sterilized as well.
‘All the gunk that’s in that water line is going to get caught in the screen at first, and all the water that passes through it will then get contaminated.’
Anything wooden that comes into contact with floodwater, such as wooden cutting board and wooden spoons, needs proper disposal. Neal said these objects are ‘like a sponge’ for contaminated water.
Although canned goods are not easily penetrated, Neal recommends keeping an eye on them as well.
‘Canned goods can be washed with soap and water, but if there is any denting, or any kind of ding in the can, throw it away,’ Neal said.
Neal also said a dent in a can compromises the vacuum seal and could create a toxic microenvironment.
Those who are unsure about whether a food product is spoiled should discard it, rather than risking exposure to bacteria.
‘The USDA’s motto with food is ‘when in doubt, throw it out,” Neal said.
For more information on food safety, visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov
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