Well, it was a good year for storing up on food. As any prepper or survivalist would do I accumulated a variety of different foods that could be used during an emergency to save my life and that of my family. What I had not counted on was the flood that came later. I have heard these statements so often and they are usually followed by, "What can I do with my food now?"
Food which has come in contact with flood water is usually considered to be contaminated. In that respect it is important that each and every can be sanitized before opening and using it. Discard any obviously damaged cans, any boxed foods and bagged pasta's etc. Inspect each of the cans for any potential signs of leakage, any sort of punctures or dents, swelling or if they are starting to rust. These cans should be placed in the waste basket and never used. Cans containing tops such as pull top lids, screw caps or the popular snap lids are not waterproof and should be discarded after a flood.
If the can looks and appears to be secure and undamaged from the flood waters then it may be possible to salvage it for your use. Since the can was in the flood waters you will need to remove the label and any sort of paper type backing as these would now be a haven for germs. Now Wash the can thoroughly with hot soapy water and rinse it well. Follow this bath with an immersion into boiling water for several minutes. An alternative to the boiling water bath would be a soaking in a bleach solution composed of 1 tablespoon of unscented bleach to a gallon of water. Let the can remain in the solution for approximately 15 minutes. After rinsing well air dry the can for at least one hour. You can use an indelible marker and now write the contents directly onto the can. Make sure to place this can in front of any new cans that you purchase that way it can be used first.
When prepping your cans after you have experienced a flood be sure to use cleaning your cooking utensils that have bee4n vigorously washed in hot soapy water and rinsed thoroughly. Just as with the cans these utensils should be sanitize by dipping them in a bleach solution and then air dried. Give some special attention to the countertop space where you will be doing your work as well. Follow the same instructions for that as you would the utensils.
At least by following these instructions you will not be at a total lose in your stored food products in the event of flooding in your home.
Copyright @2010 Joseph Parish
http://www.survival-training.info
For more information relating to survival visit us at http://www.survival-training.info
This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.
No comments:
Post a Comment