Food Sanitation During Disasters

1. Even the most appetizing food can cause illness if it has become contaminated with disease germs through improper handling.  Outbreaks of food poisoning, dysentery, hepatitis and typhoid fever may result from unsanitary practices in kitchens and dining areas.  Highest standards of personal hygiene and sanitation much be maintained.

2. The best safeguards against getting sick from food are thorough cooking and immediate serving.  With he exception of those foods which contain chemical poisons or the common staphylococcus toxin, food can usually be made safe to eat by thorough cooking.  All part of the food should be heated close to boiling temperature.

3. Cooking time and temperature for meat products must be such to insure that the center of the meat is adequately cooked.   For beef, an oven temperature of 325° for roasting with the thermometer inserted into the thickest  portion of meat reading 140 to 170 (well done).  If meat juices and drippings are saved, they should be refrigerated and then used as soon as possible.  Fowl and meat dressings should not be allowed to stand at room temperature.  It is easily contaminated and is recommended that dressing be cooked in a shallow pan separately from the carcass.

4. Acid foods and beverages such as citrus fruit drink must never be stored or served in galvanized iron cans because they are capable of dissolving  the zinc which will produce chemical poisoning.

5. Leftovers.  Meals should be planned so that there is a minimum of leftover food.  In the absence of mechanical refrigeration, food left from a meal should be held until the next meal.  The exception to this policy is nonperishable foods such as fresh produce and other foods not needing refrigeration and not subjected to contamination.

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