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Food Safety News published guidance on October 9, 2026, for handling food and kitchen items after hurricanes cause flooding or prolonged power outages. The advice includes discarding food that may have touched floodwater, avoiding food from refrigerators and freezers after several days without power, and using safe water for drinking and cleaning.
Food Safety News published guidance October 9 for people assessing food and kitchen items after hurricanes, warning that floodwater and prolonged power outages can make food unsafe. The report advises discarding food that may have contacted floodwater, avoiding food in a refrigerator or freezer after several days without power, and not tasting food to judge its safety.
The report says to discard refrigerated and frozen food if the power has been out for several days. It points readers to a food-safety chart for specific discard decisions, but the supplied report does not reproduce that chart or give detailed time and temperature thresholds. Food should not be tasted as a safety test.
For possible floodwater exposure, the report advises drinking only bottled water or beverages that have not contacted floodwater. It warns that screw caps are not waterproof, and says to discard drinks whose containers may have been exposed. If bottled water is unavailable, it directs readers to learn how to boil or disinfect water safely.
Food in packaging that is not waterproof should be discarded if it may have contacted floodwater. The report says undamaged, commercially prepared food in all-metal cans and retort pouches may be salvageable if cleaned using steps in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service guide for severe storms and hurricanes. It also recommends washing metal pans, utensils and ceramic dishes with hot, soapy water, rinsing them, then sanitizing by 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.
Keeping Flood-Exposed Food Out
After a hurricane, power failures and flooding can affect food safety at the same time that households may have limited access to clean water, working appliances and replacement groceries. Clear discard rules help people avoid relying on smell, appearance or taste to judge whether food is safe. The guidance also distinguishes between items that should be thrown away and certain intact commercial packages that may be cleaned and kept.
Kitchen items matter alongside food. The report says to discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby-bottle nipples and pacifiers that may have contacted floodwater because they cannot be saved after exposure. That advice is particularly relevant for families preparing food for infants and young children.
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The Risks After Storm Damage
The Food Safety News report focuses on two common post-hurricane hazards: extended loss of refrigeration and contact with floodwater. It presents consumer precautions and refers readers to federal guidance from the Food Safety and Inspection Service for additional detail on severe-storm food decisions.
The report also gives a USDA contact for food-safety questions: the Meat and Poultry Hotline, at 1-888-674-6854, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, in English or Spanish. Questions can also be sent to MPHotline@usda.gov or submitted through Ask USDA live chat, according to the report.
“Never taste a food to determine its safety.”
— Food Safety News
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Exposure Details Still Matter
The supplied report does not identify a particular hurricane, affected community or official emergency declaration. It provides general recovery guidance rather than an assessment of any specific storm’s damage. It also refers to a separate chart for refrigerator and freezer decisions without including that chart’s detailed thresholds in the supplied material.
Whether a particular item is safe can depend on how long power was out, whether floodwater reached it and the type and condition of its packaging. The report does not establish conditions in any reader’s home, so those details must be assessed locally. It directs consumers to federal resources and the hotline for additional guidance.
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Check Items Before Reusing
People cleaning up should check food and utensils for possible floodwater contact, follow the discard advice, and consult the Food Safety and Inspection Service’s severe-storm guide for the specific cleaning steps for eligible commercial packages. The report says potentially exposed wooden boards, plastic utensils, bottle nipples and pacifiers should be discarded rather than cleaned for reuse.
For questions about meat, poultry or other food-safety concerns, consumers can contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline during its stated weekday hours, email the hotline or use Ask USDA live chat. The report does not announce a further update or a storm-specific follow-up.
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Key Questions
Should I taste food to see if it is safe after a hurricane?
No. Food Safety News says not to taste food as a way to determine its safety.
What should I do with food in my refrigerator or freezer after a long outage?
The report advises throwing away food in the refrigerator and freezer if power has been out for several days. It refers readers to a separate chart for item-specific decisions.
Can I keep food that may have touched floodwater?
Discard food in packaging that is not waterproof if it may have contacted floodwater. The report says certain undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans or retort pouches may be saved if cleaned according to federal guidance.
Which kitchen items should be thrown away after floodwater exposure?
The report says to discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby-bottle nipples and pacifiers that may have contacted floodwater.
Where can I ask a food-safety question?
The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is 1-888-674-6854, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, in English or Spanish. The report also lists MPHotline@usda.gov and Ask USDA live chat.
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