Hurricane Helene has significantly impacted Western NC, including those important stakeholders within the food supply chain. Value-added agriculture plays a vital role in our food supply and is a significant contributor to our local and national economic resilience. Extreme weather events, such as flooding, can wreak havoc on food processing facilities. This document provides basic information for reopening after a flood, with a particular focus on food safety, for value-added agricultural operations. While this document is intended for food processing facilities, information may be useful for produce packing houses and other food establishments. 

Impacts of Flooding in a Food Processing Facility

Contamination throughout the facility:  Floodwater can be contaminated with harmful microorganisms, chemicals, and other substances from sewage, animals, and industrial waste. This can lead to cross contamination of food, packaging, surfaces, and utensils. 

Corrosion of equipment: When exposed to prolonged moisture, metal equipment may begin to corrode creating crevices and rough areas where bacteria can thrive. In addition, these areas are difficult to clean and sanitize effectively, increasing the risk of foodborne illnesses. Along with shortening the lifespan of some equipment, corrosion can lead to the leaching of metal particles into food products. 

Mold growth:  Harmful mold spores can germinate within 24-48 hours after a flooding event. Prolonged humidity in a facility promotes the growth and spread of mold.

Reduced indoor air quality: The microorganisms that flood waters can reduce the quality of air and lead to illnesses and health-related problems for workers. Contaminated HVAC systems may also contaminate exposed food.

Assessing When to Reopen

If one or more of the following hazards occurred or exist after a flood event, the facility should not reopen until addressed.  

• There is no power.
• Any part of the facility was flooded. All surfaces that have contacted floodwaters are considered contaminated.
• Sewage backed up into the facility.
• Plumbing and sewage systems are not draining; toilets are not functional.
• Potable water is not available and the drinking water supply for the facility was flooded;  alternate drinking water sources are not available and the boil water advisory guidelines are not issued from local authorities.
• Customers or staff must walk through floodwater (contaminated water) to get into the facility.
• Other hazards that may compromise food safety in the facility.

Reopening the Facility

Before entering and beginning any clean-up after a flood, personnel safety must be considered first.

• • Confirm that there are no electrical shock hazards, gas leaks, or debris that could cause harm.
  • Assess the building’s structural damage that could result in collapse should also be assessed to avoid injury.
  • Wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE). This may include: eye protection, gloves, disposable aprons, rubber boots, masks and/or respirators.
  • If your power is out and equipment was running during the time of the outage, unplug and completely shut down equipment before returning to operation to avoid fires.

Priority Areas to Address:

Prioritize those areas of highest risk of a hazard that could lead to a food safety concern. The following factors must be considered when reopening.

• • Potable water:  Facilities must have a potable water supply to process food. If the water system was affected by flood or the local water supply was unsafe, the local health department should be involved in clearing the safety of the water before reopening. If you have a public water supply, confirm that potable water is available from the water operator. Follow Boil Water Advisory information if potable water is not confirmed. 
  • Pest control:
    • Remove dead pests and disinfect any food-contact surfaces that have come in contact with pests. (For equipment and food contact surfaces, follow disinfection procedures with a potable water rinse and sanitizing step.)
    • Prevent further pest entry by sealing all openings into the facility.
    • Dispose of contaminated or spoiled foods to prevent rodent and fly harborage. 
  • Items to discard:  There will likely be items that cannot be salvaged following a flood event. The following items should be discarded if they have contacted floodwater or non-potable water. In addition, foods subjected to temperature abuse due to power outages should be discarded.
    • Unpackaged food
    • Food in permeable packaging (examples: flour in bags, produce in cardboard boxes)
    • Food packaging materials
    • Refrigerated food in a refrigerated unit where the temperature rose above 41°F for more than four hours
    • Frozen food product that has thawed to a temperature of above 41°F for more than four hours
    • Canned items with damaged seams, swelling, or dents
    • Items with screw tops, twist-off caps, or other semi-permeable packaging
    • Single service/use items
  • Disinfection of equipment and surfaces throughout the facility:  All food equipment and surfaces that contacted flood water or other non-potable water must be disinfected prior to use. This includes surfaces such as countertops, walls, ceilings, floors, equipment surfaces, etc.. A particular focus should be given towards surfaces that will directly contact food or water. Guidance for disinfecting:
    • Use a commercial disinfectant and follow the label instructions at the level of effectiveness against norovirus.
    • Make fresh disinfectant solutions daily.
    • Food contact surfaces that are disinfected must be rinsed with clean, potable water, and sanitized before use. For sanitizing, follow the chemical label instructions for use on food contact surfaces.
    • Discard any mop heads or absorbent materials used to clean flooded areas.
  • Ice machines:  Ice machine surfaces must be cleaned and disinfected before resuming its use. Once the machine is running, discard the first two cycles of ice.

• Additional equipment considerations: 
  • Prior to restocking perishable ingredients or products, verify that all refrigerators and freezers are capable of consistently maintaining cold holding temperatures (<41°F or at necessary freezing temperatures).
  • If applicable, ensure that heating equipment can heat to the appropriate cooking temperature.
  • Verify that all equipment used for safe food processing and preparation (such as cooking, cooling, freezing) is calibrated and properly functioning prior to use.

Reach Out for Help

You are not alone as there are a number of places you can go to for help and advice. If the damage done to your facility is more than can be addressed with simple cleaning and disinfecting, contact experts in post disaster restoration. Here are names and numbers that you can contact:

• The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) flood resources:  https://iicrc.org/flood-resources/  This institute also provides a global locator to help you find a certified restoration professional in your area:  https://iicrc.org/iicrcgloballocator/
• The Restoration Industry Association can be reached through their web site at: https://www.restorationindustry.org/
• If your heating, ventilation, or air conditioning system needs to be cleaned you can either contact a local contractor or visit this site to locate a professional in your area:  https://hvac-contractors.acca.org/locator
• For NC regulatory compliance questions, reach out to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Food and Drug Protection Division at (984) 236-4820
• For water quality or regulatory questions for food service or retail, reach out to your local NC county health department. Visit this site for contact information in your county:  https://www.dph.ncdhhs.gov/contact/LHD or call (919) 707-5000.