Dealing with food after a disaster

     In the event of a natural disaster in which the electricity has been interrupted a survey of the condition of your food should be performed. There are foods that will last a long time, rice, beans, dehydrated fruit, honey, oatmeal, and cereals are among the them. There are some foods that will keep for a long while below 40 degrees, in ice or a refrigerator. The closer to +40 degrees the longer the food will last, however if these items have an unusual appearance, smell or becomes moldy they should be thrown in the garbage. These foods include but are not limited to: Butter, margarine, hard cheese, processed cheese, raw fruits and vegetables, fruit juices that are in a container, dried fruit (if it gets damp it molds fairly quickly), pies made of fruit, open salad dressings that are oil based, open peanut butter, mustard, ketchup, olives. Bread molds in warm humid conditions rapidly, as well as rolls, cakes and muffins.

These may have to be tossed out as well!

     If the following foods are above 40 degrees F for longer than 2 hours, it is safest to throw them out, in fact it should be a matter of course and not debated. Raw or cooked seafood, meats and poultry (Salmonella moves in quickly), Milk, cream, yogurt and soft cheese. Pies made of dairy products such as custard, chiffon or cheese. Fresh eggs and egg substitutes are unsafe when left unrefrigerated. Processed lunch meats, prepared pizza's, hot dogs, or casseroles, stews and soups. Cookie dough will not be safe as well as mayonnaise, tartar sauce or creamy dressings and cream filled pastries. It sure sounds like not much would be safe to consume it left out. Click here for food safety tips.
     If water has been kept in the freezer as part of your emergency food preparedness the temperature of the food will be kept below 40 degrees F for an extended period. A thermometer must be used to monitor the temperature of the box. However it must be noted that the more the door is opened the more cold air that will be lost. It is advisable to keep the door secured until the food is needed. The bottles of water will melt and the water can then be used for drinking or any other use. This relates to water in the freezer that has been frozen as a means of self reliance. I won't address flood, cistern or well water which should off handed be considered tainted. Drink only water that has been stored specifically for consumption in an emergency.

Cool Clear Water. 

     There is a possibility your food supply will be depleted after the first day, three days food should be stored for emergency situations. Rice, beans, oatmeal dried fruit, and prepared dehydrated food packs will suffice. Some way to purify water, boil water, and cook should be provided for. Cooking can be accomplished on an open fire, Bar-B-Que or a small camp stove. In summary dehydrated food in air tight containers are your safest bet, keep it clean, keep it dry and keep it in a secure place, it'll be OK for a long time.
Thanks for reading! We welcome your comments always.
jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com