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Food Safety News published guidance on Oct. 9, 2026, for handling food and kitchen items after hurricane flooding and prolonged power outages. It says not to taste food to check its safety, to discard food that may have contacted floodwater, and to use specific cleaning or disposal steps for utensils and dishes.
Food Safety News published guidance on Oct. 9, 2026, urging people recovering from hurricanes to discard food that may have contacted floodwater and food kept in a refrigerator or freezer during several days without power. The advice also covers drinking water and how to clean or dispose of kitchen items that came into contact with floodwater, when contamination may not be visible.
The guidance says never taste food to judge whether it is safe. If power has been out for several days, it advises throwing away food in both the refrigerator and freezer. The report refers readers to a food-safety chart for decisions after a prolonged outage, but the supplied material does not give the chart’s individual time and temperature criteria.
For drinking, it advises using bottled water or other beverages that have not touched floodwater. Containers with screw caps are not waterproof, the report says, so bottles or beverages that may have been exposed should be discarded. If bottled water is unavailable, it directs readers to learn safe water-boiling or disinfection methods.
Food that is not in a waterproof container should be discarded if it may have contacted floodwater. Screw-cap, snap-lid, pull-top and crimped-cap containers do not qualify as waterproof. The report says undamaged commercial foods in all-metal cans and retort pouches may be saved by following the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service guidance for severe storms and hurricanes.
Floodwater Can Contaminate Food Supplies
Hurricane damage can leave households facing both flood exposure and extended power loss, which create separate food-safety problems. Floodwater may reach food, drinks and kitchen equipment, while a prolonged outage means refrigerated and frozen food cannot be assumed safe. The guidance gives readers concrete discard, cleaning and disposal steps rather than relying on appearance or taste.
Following those steps matters not only for meals prepared immediately after a storm but also for food kept for later use. The report’s distinction between potentially salvageable commercial packaging and containers that are not waterproof can help people avoid keeping items that may have been contaminated. It does not establish that any particular household’s food is safe; the circumstances of exposure still matter.
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Advice Covers Water, Power and Utensils
The report, published by Food Safety News on Oct. 9, 2026, focuses on immediate decisions during hurricane recovery: what to discard, what may be cleaned and what may be retained under specified conditions. Its recommendations address food and beverages, dishes and utensils, as well as items used for infants.
For metal pans, utensils and ceramic dishes exposed to floodwater, the guidance calls for thorough washing with hot, soapy water and rinsing, followed by sanitizing. It gives two options: boil the items in clean water or immerse them for 15 minutes in a solution made with one tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water.
Some items should not be kept after floodwater exposure: the report specifically names wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby-bottle nipples and pacifiers. It says these cannot be saved after contact with floodwater. For questions, it lists the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854, available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time in English or Spanish, as well as email and Ask USDA live chat.
“Never taste a food to determine its safety.”
— Food Safety News
Household Exposure Details Remain Key
The supplied report does not provide details about a specific hurricane, affected community, outage or contamination incident. It is general recovery guidance, and it does not say how many people or households have been affected. It also points to an outage chart and separate USDA instructions without reproducing their full criteria here.
Whether a particular item is safe may depend on how long power was out, whether floodwater reached it and the type and condition of its packaging. The report does not offer a way to verify safety by sight or taste; its stated instruction is not to taste questionable food. Readers with uncertain cases are directed to USDA food-safety resources.
Check Items Before Reuse
During recovery, people should assess food and kitchen items for possible contact with floodwater, discard items identified in the guidance, and clean and sanitize eligible metal or ceramic equipment before reuse. For an extended outage, the report advises discarding refrigerator and freezer food and consulting the referenced USDA chart for further direction.
People needing case-specific advice can contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline by phone at 1-888-674-6854 during its listed weekday hours, email MPHotline@usda.gov or use Ask USDA live chat. The source material does not identify a later update or additional milestone.
Key Questions
Can I taste food to see whether it is safe after a hurricane?
No. Food Safety News says never to taste food to determine its safety. Follow the discard guidance or consult USDA food-safety resources if you are unsure.
What should I do with food after several days without power?
The report advises throwing away food from both the refrigerator and freezer if power has been out for several days. It points readers to a USDA-related chart for detailed outage guidance.
Can I keep food in a container that touched floodwater?
Discard food that may have contacted floodwater if it is not in waterproof packaging. The report says undamaged commercial food in all-metal cans or retort pouches may be saved by following the FSIS storm and hurricane instructions.
How should I clean dishes exposed to floodwater?
Wash metal pans, utensils and ceramic dishes thoroughly with hot, soapy water, rinse them, then sanitize by boiling in clean water or immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of one tablespoon unscented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water. Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby-bottle nipples and pacifiers that may have contacted floodwater.
Source: rss
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