Food Safety After A Fire

When your house has had a fire go through it there are more things to worry about than simply what can and can't be cleaned and how you should go about it. Safety measures should also be followed and one those measures involves food.

Food that has survived a fire should be treated with caution because it will have been affected in some way. here are some tips about how to proceed when it comes to the food that is left over after a fire.

• Food in cans or jars may look as though it has been unaffected by the fire, however if it was in close proximity to the heat of the fire there is a strong possibility that it has been rendered inedible. The heat from the fire can activate bacteria that spoils food. If the heat has been hot enough it is possible that the can has split and the food will be unsafe to consume anyway.
• Food that is stored in permeable packaging such as cardboard, plastic, paper, etc. should be thrown away regardless of the possibility of heat damage. Toxic fumes will in all likelihood have contaminated the food. It doesn't matter if the packaging was unopened, toxic fumes can still permeate the packaging and contaminate the food within.
• Raw fruit and vegetables that were stored outside the refrigerator should be discarded because these, too, will have been contaminated by fumes. Even food that is stored within the refrigerator or freezer may have been contaminated although you can still attempt to eat it if you wish. If you notice an unusual flavor or odor to the food when it is prepared you can assume that the seals were not airtight and the food should be thrown out.
• It is possible that some of the chemicals that were used to fight the fire came in contact with food in the house. These chemicals contain toxic materials that cannot be washed off the food. Food that is exposed to these chemicals should also be thrown away. This includes all goods that are stored in permeable containers and screw top jars. Cans and cookware should be decontaminated before they are used.