Flooding in the Pantry part 2 – canned goods

Floodwaters can make foods unsafe. If you have a question about the safety of any food item, throw it out.

Undented cans of food without rust can be saved if they are washed and sanitized before opening.

To sanitize steel cans: Put on rubber gloves then remove paper labels and set aside.  Wash cans in a strong detergent solution. Use a brush to remove any dirt. Rinse well. 

Soak the clean, rinsed containers for 15 minutes in solution of 1 cup of chlorine bleach in 5 gallons of lukewarm water.  Dump and make new solution whenever it starts to get cloudy.

Remove cans from the bleach solution and allow them to air dry completely. Relabel with permanent marker and include expiration date then discard label as it may hold toxins. Use disinfected cans as soon as possible because they may rust.

For added safety, boil food before eating. 

More information can be found on the CDC disaster webpage or your county health department. https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/floodsafety.html

Note: do not use your fireplace to cook until it has been inspected.

https://extension.wvu.edu/community-business-safety/disaster-preparedness/flooding