Remember: when in doubt, throw it out. If your home or business was impacted by severe flooding, here's what to know about saving undamaged food packages exposed to flood water.
When to discard: If cans are swollen or weeping, have dents, or are not intact.
When to save: Undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans and “retort pouches” (like flexible, shelf-stable juice or seafood pouches) can be saved if you follow this procedure:
- Remove the labels, if they are the removable kind, since they can harbor dirt and bacteria. As you clean and sort, re-label your cans or retort pouches, including the expiration date, with a permanent marking pen. Food in reconditioned cans or retort pouches should be used as soon as possible thereafter.
- Brush or wipe away any dirt or silt.
- Thoroughly wash the cans or retort pouches with soap and water, using hot water if it is available.
- Rinse the cans or retort pouches with water that is safe for drinking, if available, since dirt or residual soap will reduce the effectiveness of chlorine sanitation.
- Sanitize cans and retort pouches by immersion in one of the following ways:
- Place in water and allow the water to come to a boil and continue boiling for 2 minutes.
- Place in a solution of 1 cup (8 oz/250 mL) of unscented household (5.25% concentration) bleach mixed with 5 gallons of water and soak for 15 minutes.
- Air dry cans or retort pouches for a minimum of 1 hour before opening or storing.
Do not: Recondition products in containers with screwcaps, snap-lids, crimped-caps (soda and beer bottles), twist-caps, flip-top, snap-open, and similar type closures that have been water damaged.
For baby food and formula, for infants, try to use prepared, canned baby food that requires no extra water.