Well Preserved
The Well Preserved news col
umn is prepared by Lancaster
County Cooperative Extension.
It includes food preservation
information and questions.
Food and Floods
Recent storms have made us
mindful of the necessity of being
prepared for emergencies. Both
power outages and flooding can
affect food storage. In a previous
column we discussed how to han
dle foods in a power outage. A re
cent phone caller to the extension
office reported that all her home
canned foods were under water
and she wondered what she could
save. Thus, today’s column will
address food safety in floods. The
following recommendations are
from the USDA Food Safety and
Inspection Service.
Because flood water contains
many different types of pollu
tants, most foods that come into
contact with them will need to be
destroyed to prevent illness. All
unwrapped foods, crown-capped
bottles, screw-top glass con
tainers, flip top cans, and pack
aged foods that are not airtight
and cannot be washed will need
to be destroyed.
Glass and plastic bottles and
jars (even ones that have been
opened) should be discarded. Ex
amples include mayonnaise,
flavoring extracts, jellies, bottled
water, and vegetable oil. The
cork-lined, waxed cardboard, pop
tops, peel-off tops, or waxed seals
used in these bottles and jars are
nearly impossible to clean around
the lid or opening. The grooves
and indentations around the
openings and the liners are good
hiding places for bacteria. Home
canned foods are in the same cat
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egory. The sealing compound
that comes into contact with the
rim of the glass jar can harbor
bacteria that are not destroyed in
a disinfectant wash.
Discard foods in cardboard
boxes such as juice boxes, paper,
foil, cellophane, cloth, or any
other kind of flexible container.
The paper covering is a great
place for harmful bacteria to
hide. Other items to discard are
fresh produce, spices, seasonings,
flour, sugar, grains, pasta, coffee
and others staples stored in can
isters, and opened containers and
packages of any kind. Discard
canned goods that are dented on
the lids or seams, or that are
leaking or bulging because these
are signs or gasses forming inside
the can from spoilage already
taking place. Discard canned
goods that are rusted unless the
rust can be easily removed by
light rubbing.
So what can be saved? Com
mercially canned goods in
smooth top tin type cans that are
not bulging, leaking, or dented.
Note that an increasing number
of canned products have a pop
top lid similar to a soda can and
can not be safely sanitized. For
cans with smooth lids, use the
following procedure for safely
sanitizing them. Mark the con
tents on the can with a perma
nent ink pen. Remove paper la
bels because they can harbor
dangerous bacteria. Wash cans in
a strong detergent solution with a
scrub brush. Carefully clean
areas around lids and seams.
Soak cans in a solution of 2 tea
spoons chlorine bleach per quart
of room temperature water for 15
minutes. Place cans on sides to
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air dry. Cans need to dry before
opening. Throw away any cans
that may have come in contact
with industrial or septic waste. If
you are unsure about the safety
of any food, throw it out.
Remember to clean and sani
tize any kitchen areas and items
that have come in contact with
flood waters. Scrub kitchen coun
ters, pantry shelves, refrigerators,
and stoves with warm soapy
water. Rinse and wipe with a so
lution of 2 teaspoons of chlorine
bleach to one quart of water
using a clean cloth. Sanitize dish
es and glassware the same way.
Disinfect metal pans and utensils
by boiling them in water for 10
minutes. Wooden and plastic
items may absorb or hide bacteria
making them difficult to clean
and sanitize. Therefore, discard
wooden spoons, wooden cutting
boards, plastic utensils, and baby
bottle nipples and pacifiers.
Wash all kitchen linens in deter
gent and hot water, and use a
chlorine bleach to sanitize them
following directions on the bleach
container.
If you have food preservation
questions, a home economist is
available to answer questions on
Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-l p.m., call
(717) 394-6851 or write Penn
State Cooperative Extension,
Lancaster County, 1383 Arcadia
Rd., Rm. 1, Lancaster, PA 17601.
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(Continued from Page B 7)
ANSWER -A reader
wanted to know where she
could buy a utility cart like
the one she has. Thanks to
the man who responded
that he has a metal one
with similar dimensions as
noted. It is used and in
good condition. If interest
ed, call (717)548-3116.
ANSWER - Warren
Glidewell, Bloomsburg,
wanted to know where to
find Flemish giant rabbits
in a fawn color. Thanks to a
reader who offers the fol
lowing information: Closest
breeder to Bloomsburg:
Frank Welch, Linden: (570)
321-1013; or you can go
online and get more in
formation from the National
Are You Turning 65 Soon?
LEESPORT (Berks Co.) If
you or someone you know will
turn 65 soon, take note. At 65,
you can take advantage of Medi
care, a federally-subsidized insur
ance plan, but there are rules,
and they’re strict.
It’s crucial that you begin
planning for your induction into
Medicare at least nine months be
fore your birthday.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 11, 2003-S9
Federation of Flemish Giant
Rabbit Breeder:
www.NFFGRB.com.
AN
SWER A reader wanted
to know where to purchase
dry white wine for making
the aloe vera cream. It can
be purchased in a state
store or wherever wines
are sold.
Here is a different recipe
to make aloe vera salve
from a reader.
Aloe Vera
1 quart healing cactus
plants (aloe vera plant), cut
up fine and fried in
Drain mixture and com
bine with 3 ounces lanolin.
Store in jars.
If you fail to enroll in Medicare
during the seven-month window
around your 65th birthday, you
can’t enroll until the following
calendar year Jan. 1 to March
31. And coverage won’t begin
until July 1 of that year.
A costly mistake because pre
miums will increase to include a
permanent penalty of 10 percent
for each year’s delay in applying.
Improving Home Improvement*
7Vi ounces Vaseline