Extinguishing the Risk of Foodborne Illness During Wildfires

Wildfires in the Los Angeles area that began last Tuesday have burned down more than 12,000 structures and killed 24 people, according to AP News. The fires also bring risk of foodborne illness, said the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

FSIS offered some tips to prevent foodborne illness before and after a wildfire.

EVACUATING AND TRANSPORTING FOOD. FSIS recommends having a cooler and extra ice or frozen bottles of water on hand in case of an emergency. There should be enough ice to keep the food at 40 degrees F or below. Bring an appliance thermometer for the cooler. Refrigerated foods should be placed into the cooler last before evacuating the home. Place raw meat and poultry at the bottom of the cooler to avoid cross contamination. If possible, wrap them in plastic.

RISK OF FLAMES AND FUMES. Stay informed of the wildfires in your area, said FSIS. Refrain from returning home until given permission by authorities. Foods exposed to flames or fumes can be contaminated or experience bacterial growth and should be discarded. Chemical fumes can penetrate through packaging (canned goods, plastic, etc.), and foods in refrigerators and freezers are susceptible to contamination since the refrigerator doors aren’t airtight.

Lastly, fire dispersing chemicals can contaminate foods. Discard any foods exposed to these chemicals.

Cookware can be decontaminated by following these steps:

• Wash contaminated cookware with hot soapy water.
• Submerge items into bleach solution.
• Use 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water.
• Let soak for 15 minutes.

Visit Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency to learn more.