It rained so hard, the deep water was flowing down the street like a river and cascading out of my house gutters due to the overload. There was no time to build an Ark. Many Areas in Westchester were flooded yesterday and when that happens, there must be a prudent reaction in dealing with food and beverage that has been affected by flood water. Sewers and storm drains that have over-flowed or backed up floor drains and the water has invaded areas that prepare and store food, it is a health hazard. A large variety of pathogenic microorganisms can be present, including: bacteria such as E-coli, Listeria and Shigella as well as parasites like Cryptosporidium and Cyclospora. You could even throw in a lovely viral infection possibility like Hepatitis A. If the water comes into direct contact with food, it should be discarded; even a wet cardboard box of produce that has been negligently stored on the floor has got to go. Canned goods or products in jars should be suspect. The label will become compromised and illegible. If the exterior of a hermetically sealed container is not properly washed and sanitized the chance of cross contamination is present. Food preparation and storage areas also must be properly cleaned, sanitized and air dried after a flood event. Food and non-food contact surfaces of equipment that have been exposed to contamination should be a no-brainer. Walls, floors and ceilings are susceptible to mold growth which can grow to toxic levels and be a problem if inhaled. Standing water in areas that are not level can be a perfect area for flies to harbor. Then the problem has wings and can spread disease to unprotected products in due time. Unfortunately for some operators of food establishments, a flood means a financial loss, especially if there is no insurance coverage. Then the temptation to salvage food comes into play and the risk grows. If you add in the fact of underfunded government regulatory agencies being over whelmed with trying to inspect every food establishment that may or may not have had a flood…keep your fingers crossed. The only thing consumers can do is hope that operators of food establishments “did the right thing”, instead of worrying about the bottom line. For more information regarding food safety, visit foodsafetystories.com
