Extension Communications
Extension 4-H Youth Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3630
(515) 294-9915
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Extension Communications |
5/27/04
For immediate release
Contacts:
Sam Beattie, PhD, ISUE Food Science and Human Nutrition, (515) 294-3357,
beatties@iastate.edu
Diane Nelson, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-3178,
dinelson@iastate.edu
Safety Guidelines for Flood-damaged Produce
AMES, Iowa--The bottom line for food safety related to flooded gardens is the potential for chemical and fecal bacterial contamination in the floodwater, according to Sam Beattie, Iowa State University Extension food safety specialist.
There are a variety of contamination sources that may be upstream of your flooded garden. Runoff from streets, dumps, and animal feeding operations may wind up in your garden and on your vegetables.
"Vegetables that are in blossom or pre-blossom stage are safe," Beattie said. "However, leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach, that were covered by floodwater should be discarded."
If spinach is thoroughly cooked, harmful bacteria may be killed.
Hard-to-clean produce, such as strawberries, also are best discarded.
Vegetables that grow below the ground, such as beets, carrots and potatoes, should be safe to consume if they are first washed, peeled, and cooked.
"Trying to sanitize vegetables with laundry bleach is not recommended," Beattie said. "It is not a food grade product and may be absorbed into the food. Therefore, it should not be used with food products."
Beattie said another factor to consider is the age and health of the people who likely will eat the produce. "Certain elderly and immune compromised individuals may be at significant risk from low level pathogen contamination of fresh produce."
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