Is it safe to eat food we left behind in the hurricane?

Check food: Check food for spoilage. If in doubt, throw it out.

Not all food.: Canned foods may be fine to eat after a hurricane. Assuming electric power was lost, it would be wise to throw out all the food in the refrigerator and freezer. I would also throw out bagged and boxed foods, as they're likely not protected from the moisture.

Yes: If it's sealed in containers and not the sort of stuff that expires very quickly.

It Can be : Depends on what food you have, is in your refrigerator, did your refrigerator lose power, there may be some you'll have to throw out and there may be some of that may be perfectly fine

You would use: the same common sense guidelines you use when assessing food safety day to day. Even if everything seems intact when you return, it is possible that power has been interrupted to the refrigerator and freezer. Remove and assess each item; if in doubt, throw it out. Items which may have thawed and then refrozen might be more challenging.

No: You do not know how long, or if power was out, after a hurricane. It is always safest to throw away refrigerator/freezer food. A good test before leaving, is to freeze a cup of water and place a quarter on top. When you return you can see if the quarter has moved, and this can tell you if your food was affected.

Food Safety?Hurrican: Your Health is Precious! If Hurricane led to loss of power for long time and also had flooding: • Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with flood water. • Do not eat food packed in plastic, paper, cardboard, cloth, and similar containers that have been water damaged. • Discard home canned foods, if they have come in contact with flood water