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Food Safety News published hurricane-recovery guidance on Oct. 9, 2026, covering food, water and kitchen items that may be unsafe after flooding or prolonged power outages. The advice includes discarding potentially flood-exposed food and drinks, never tasting food to check it, and cleaning and sanitizing certain dishes and metal utensils.
Food Safety News published hurricane-recovery guidance on Oct. 9 advising people to discard food and beverages that may have contacted floodwater and to treat food affected by a prolonged power outage cautiously. The report also explains which kitchen items may be cleaned and sanitized, and which should be discarded, as flooding and outages can leave food and food-contact surfaces unsafe.
The report says never taste food to judge whether it is safe. If a refrigerator and freezer have been without power for several days, it advises throwing away their food and referring to official guidance for decisions after a power outage. The source does not specify a temperature-based assessment in the article text provided.
For drinking, use bottled water or other beverages that have not contacted floodwater. The report warns that screw caps are not waterproof, so drinks that may have been exposed to floodwater should be discarded. Food in packaging that is not waterproof should also be discarded if it may have contacted floodwater. Screw-cap, snap-lid, pull-top and crimped-cap containers do not provide a waterproof seal, according to the guidance.
Some undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans or retort pouches may be salvaged by following the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service’s consumer guide for severe storms and hurricanes. Metal pans, utensils and ceramic dishes exposed to floodwater should be washed thoroughly with hot, soapy water, rinsed, then sanitized. The report gives two options: boil them in clean water or immerse them for 15 minutes in a solution of one tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water.
Wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby-bottle nipples and pacifiers that may have contacted floodwater should be discarded, the report says. The listed options do not include salvaging these items through washing or sanitizing.
Reducing Foodborne Risks After Flooding
Floodwater may contaminate food packaging and items used to prepare or serve meals, while a lengthy power outage can compromise refrigerated and frozen food. Following the report’s discard and sanitation advice can help households avoid relying on items that may be unsafe during an already difficult recovery period.
The distinction between containers matters: an intact-looking cap does not make a bottle waterproof, and some types of packaged food may be salvageable only if undamaged and handled according to the USDA guide. When exposure is uncertain, the report’s instruction is not to taste food as a test.
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The Guidance Behind Recovery Decisions
The Food Safety News report frames its advice around two hurricane-related hazards: floodwater contact and prolonged loss of electricity. It points readers to USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service guidance for storm-related power outages and for cleaning eligible canned or pouch-packed foods.
For further questions, the report 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. It also lists email support at MPHotline@usda.gov and live chat through Ask USDA.
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Exposure and Outage Details Matter
The source report does not provide a specific household outage duration beyond describing a refrigerator and freezer without power for several days, nor does the supplied text include the referenced chart for assessing individual foods. It also does not give details about a particular hurricane, affected location or number of households. Readers may need to consult the linked USDA guidance for item-specific decisions, especially where food has been exposed to floodwater or power loss.
The report says to use bottled water or other beverages that have not contacted floodwater and points readers to instructions for safely boiling or disinfecting water if bottled water is unavailable. The supplied material does not reproduce those treatment instructions, so it does not establish which method is appropriate for a particular local water supply.
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Use USDA Advice for Specific Items
Households assessing food after a storm can compare their circumstances with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service’s severe-storm and hurricane consumer guide, which the report recommends for outage-related food decisions and salvageable canned or pouch-packed products. People unsure about a particular food or utensil can contact the USDA hotline, email the Meat and Poultry Hotline, or use Ask USDA live chat.
Follow local emergency and public-health instructions about drinking water and cleanup as recovery continues. The report does not announce a new policy or a scheduled update; its practical next step is to assess possible floodwater contact and power loss before using food, drinks or kitchen items.
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Key Questions
Should I taste food to check whether it is safe after a hurricane?
No. The report says never taste food to determine whether it is safe. Assess possible floodwater exposure and power loss, and consult official guidance.
What should I do with drinks that may have touched floodwater?
Discard them, including bottled drinks that may have contacted floodwater. The report warns that screw caps are not waterproof.
Can dishes exposed to floodwater be cleaned?
The report says metal pans, utensils and ceramic dishes can be washed with hot, soapy water, rinsed and then sanitized. It specifies boiling in clean water or immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of one tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water.
Which kitchen items should be discarded after floodwater contact?
Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby-bottle nipples and pacifiers that may have contacted floodwater, according to the report.
Where can I get help deciding what food to keep?
The report directs readers to USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service guidance for severe storms and hurricanes. It also lists the Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, as well as email and Ask USDA live chat.
Source: rss
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