Held from 13-20 November, this year’s Australian Food Safety Week focusses on raising awareness of the importance of food safety during emergency situations such as fires, floods and storms.

While food safety may be the last thing on someone’s mind at the height of a natural disaster, by understanding the hazards – and with a little preparation – risks associated with food-borne illness and contamination can be reduced.

Natural disasters can leave homes and businesses without power for extended periods, which means a lack of safe refrigeration for food, gas for cooking and potentially safe water for drinking and cleaning.

Certain emergencies can also expose food and water to contaminants so it is important to know the risks and be prepared.

How you can be prepared
There are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself, family or business from food-borne illness during an emergency situation. Visit our food safety pages to learn more about preparing emergency supplies.

Can I eat it?

If your power is out for an extended period, it can be difficult to know if food from your fridge or freezer is safe. Click here for a guide to understanding when food might be at risk.

Do you know?

Do you know how to clean your kitchen after a flood to make sure your food isn’t contaminated? Read our tips here.

The last thing anyone wants at the height of a disaster, is the added stress of a food-related illness so... food safety – be prepared!

For more information about food safety, contact our Environmental Health Team on 08 8256 0333.