Food safety planning urged as Jamaicans prepare for hurricane season

Jamaican households are being advised to prepare for safe food handling during the hurricane season, as storms can interrupt food supplies and leave families without reliable refrigeration.

The World Health Organisation says meals cooked ahead of time, as well as leftovers, should be held either at 60°C or hotter, or at 10°C or colder. The agency says that temperature control becomes particularly important when food will sit for longer than four to five hours.

Nardia Nembhard, Veterinary Public Health Inspector for St. Thomas, said families should pay early attention to meat and other animal-based foods once a hurricane threat bulletin has been issued.

“If you have a backup system where you can actually maintain that temperature for probably two, three or four days or for an extended period, you can go ahead and apply that system. But in cases where you do not have any system to back up electricity, it is important that you try to cook that meat or try to drink that milk or get rid of those foods from animal origin,” she said.

Ms. Nembhard told JIS News that unsafe temperatures can allow dangerous bacteria to increase in food. She said food is likely to spoil when temperature control breaks down, noting that the basic rule is to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

“Naturally, you’re going to have bacteria being multiplied within that system once the temperature has been abused. So, it is important for persons to ensure that they use all of those potentially hazardous and temperature-compromised products before it actually reaches spoilage,” she said.

The WHO further recommends that food made for infants should, where possible, not be stored.

Officials also warn against putting large amounts of warm cooked food straight into the refrigerator, a practice linked to many cases of foodborne illness. If the fridge is packed too tightly, cooked food may not cool properly at the centre. When the middle of the food remains above 10°C for too long, microbes can grow quickly and reach levels that can cause disease.