Should you throw out your food? Tips from doctors after Hurricane Milton leaves many without power

TAMPA, Fla. - With hundreds of thousands of people across the Tampa Bay area without power on Friday, doctors are sharing some food safety tips as many residents go through their fridges and freezers to see what’s safe to keep and what to toss.

In Town ‘n’ Country, Juan Lugo spent the day filling a garbage bag of spoiled food and cleaning up after Hurricane Milton flooded his mother’s house.

"We went to Wendy’s beforehand. We got some food. And we got two bags, little, small bags of ice for $3," he said.

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The groceries wasted from Lugo’s mother’s fridge totaled $500 for the family, and he wondered how much longer their remaining food is good for.

"If it stays there for many, a couple more days, we’re going to have to throw everything out," Lugo said.

Doctors recommend checking the temperature of anything that's supposed to be cold, noting that it should be kept at less than 40 degrees.

"So things like that, that are frozen, your average home freezer can keep things cool and an appropriate temperature for actually up to 48 hours, which is great as long as you're not opening the door, as long as you have left the door closed," said Dr. Victoria Selley, the chief medical officer for AdventHealth Sebring Lake Placid campuses.

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Anything in the refrigerator can be kept for up to four hours.

"Any dairy products, meat or like cut prepared foods, mixed foods like casseroles, stews, soups, things that have multiple ingredients in them, those would also be things that you probably don't want to keep much longer than four hours without refrigeration," said Amy Bliz, the clinical nutrition manager at Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital.

You can thaw out frozen meats to cook and eat if you have a grill or gas. As for condiments to use with those foods, doctors said it varies.

"It depends on the condiment. If you have condiments that are very acidic or have a high vinegar content, those are probably going to be fine. I wouldn't worry too much about those compared to a condiment that is more like cream based or mayo based," said Bliz. "Obviously, if there's cream or mayo in it, I would not want to eat that too much longer."

READ: Pinellas County communities picking up the pieces after Hurricanes Milton and Helene

Canned food items need to be handled with care as well. Doctors said it’s important to follow the recommended expiration dates to avoid food-borne illnesses. You can find more guidance on food safety here. 

"If they are dented or if they have any sort of punctures or anything like that, especially post hurricane, you don't want to use those items either," said Selley. "Once a canned goods item has had a puncture to it, it's no longer considered good, because it's not sealed."

Lugo said he’s keeping what he can cool, thinking of what comes next.

"The more important thing, we’re alive," said Lugo.

MORE: Hillsborough residents near the Alafia River rescued from floodwaters after Hurricane Milton

Doctors said food-borne illness symptoms include nausea, vomiting, cramps and hot or cold spells.

If you’re under a boil water advisory, doctors said do not wash your fruits and vegetables in the tap water without boiling it first. They also advise dumping your ice machine, and letting it run a few cycles before using it again if you have power.

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