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Food and water can be tricky to find in the aftermath of a nuclear attack or plant meltdown.
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In such an event, stick to foods stored inside fridges, cabinets, or other sealed containers.
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Avoid fresh produce, meat, and eggs for at least several months following a nuclear disaster.
Whether it’s from a nuclear war between nations or a nuclear power plant meltdown, the risk of radiation raining from the skies is more real than it has been in generations.
In a nuclear apocalyptic-like situation, securing food and water should be one of your first priorities.
But that can be challenging, said Katsumi Shozugawa, a researcher at The University of Tokyo who studied food contamination after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.
“In the event of a major accident at a nuclear power plant, there is concern that food and water could be contaminated by radioactive materials released into the environment from the plant,” Shozugawa said.
Radionuclides — tiny radioactive particles that can harm your cells’ DNA and cause Acute Radiation Syndrome, Cutaneous Radiation Injuries, and cancer — are most concentrated near the nuclear site.
But they can also be swept into the atmosphere and fall back down miles away, a phenomenon called nuclear fallout. Because of that, there are some basic guidelines for what you should, and shouldn’t, eat and drink in the event of a nuclear disaster.
1. Start with whatever is in your fridge
Experts recommend you should stay inside for at least the first 24 hours after a nuclear emergency. Therefore, the first solution is the simplest: eat the food and drink that’s in your refrigerator.
Since the refrigerator is sealed, and most food is already packaged, it’s safe to consume, according to the CDC.
For anything that needs to be cooked, you’ll need to try and minimize contamination. To do that, wipe down the counter and all your cooking supplies with a damp cloth. Then, store that cloth in a sealed container somewhere away from your family and pets, per the CDC guidelines.
2. Next, eat what’s in the freezer and pantry
Foods that are in your freezer or pantry should also be safe, according to the CDC. Anything that’s been stored behind a door and is in a package is fair game.
“Canned fruits and vegetables will last about one to three years in your pantry and are often a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals,” nutritional immunologist Megan Meyer told Insider.
However, you’ll want to throw away fruit on your counter or any other food that might have been exposed to radiation in the air. In other words, fresh produce that’s not in your fridge, freezer, cabinet, or other form of protective storage is off-limits.
3. Use bottled water to stay hydrated
After a nuclear event, all local water — including well water — is considered contaminated. The only safe way to stay hydrated is by drinking bottled water and other sealed drinks, so these are an essential part of any emergency kit, per the CDC.
Boiling water won’t get rid of radioactive materials, so avoid cooking with local water, too.
4. Use your tap water to wash food, but try not to drink it
You can still use contaminated tap water to wash yourself, other people and food. That’s because the radiation in water is typically very low so exposure is minimal, according to the CDC.
But since there’s some risk, it’s best to avoid drinking the water if you can.
Unfortunately, dehydration can hit quickly. If you don’t have bottled water, think about where else the water is stored in your house, like in the hot water tank or even the back of the toilet, per the CDC.
If you don’t have safe water, it’s better to drink potentially contaminated water than to go thirsty, the CDC says. A person can only survive two to four days without water.
5. Skip garden-fresh veggies or eggs
Bad news for the homesteaders: it’s best to skip fresh fruits, vegetables, or eggs in the immediate aftermath of a nuclear emergency.
Shozugawa’s research found radiation in chicken eggs from the first day that food monitoring began, and continued to be detected for at least five months.
6. But take steps to protect your crops for later
Government regulators should let you know when, and if, it’s safe to eat locally grown produce. But since a nuclear apocalypse is likely to have long-lasting impacts, you’ll want to start planning ahead of time.
The World Health Organization recommends shutting any vents if you have a greenhouse. If you have livestock, move them indoors or into a barn and keep them there.
If you can harvest ripe produce immediately after the event, before falling out, store it in a sealed container. But if you can’t (and let’s be honest, picking veggies isn’t likely to be your first reaction to a nuclear event), don’t bother harvesting, since it won’t be safe to eat.
7. Stick to healthy packaged foods
Once you’ve worked through your fridge, freezer, and cupboard, the safest bet for securing more food is buying (or finding) packaged foods that were produced before the nuclear emergency, according to the WHO.
Commercially-prepared, shelf-stable foods such as brown rice and canned vegetables are typically safe, according to the WHO, since plastic packaging and tin cans can protect food from radiation.
“Canned fish like tuna, salmon, and sardines, as well as lean meat like chicken, are great options because they provide high-quality protein as well as healthy fats and can be shelf stable for three or more years if unopened,” Meyers said .
Meyer also recommends nuts, nut butters, rice, protein bars, and oats because they’re nutritious and long-lasting.
8. Be savvy about ‘use by’ dates
In an emergency, you don’t have to discard food just because its expiration date has passed, Meyers said.
These dates “refer to the quality, freshness, or flavor of the food and don’t refer to safety,” Meyers said. The only exception is baby formula, which you shouldn’t use after it’s marked date, she added.
Instead of relying on the stamped dates, look at the quality of the container and the food.
“If cans are dented, rusted, or swollen, throw them out,” since these can be a sign of botulism or other food-borne illnesses, Meyers said.
9. Don’t go hunting
Feeding yourself off the land feels like an essential survival skill.
But in the event of a nuclear disaster, the land, along with the plants and animals on it, are potentially contaminated — which is why the WHO doesn’t recommend hunting.
Shozugawa’s research found that radiation can be particularly high in some game animals due to their diet. For example, deer who live on plants would be exposed to radiation.
10. Avoid mushrooms
Shozugawa found that radiation in mushrooms peaked months later compared to radiation levels in other types of produce, including vegetables grown above the ground, like tomatoes, and those grown underground, like carrots.
In short, mushrooms were still dangerous to eat even when other plants were once again safe.
Therefore, avoid the wild mushrooms or the ones in your garden.
However, if you’re hunkering in a bunker, growing mushrooms while you’re down there can become a great source of food since they don’t need much sunlight, according to David Denkenberger, founder of the non-profit Alliance to Feed the Earth in Disasters, which researches ways to protect the world’s food supply during a global catastrophe.
12. The CDC has special instructions for feeding infants
The CDC has a whole guide on infant feeding in these scenarios. If you’re feeding formula, they recommend using ready-made formula or preparing formula using bottled water.
If you are breastfeeding, it’s usually safe to continue, especially if you were indoors during the disaster. However, if you are exposed to radiation, it’s best to feed previously expressed milk or formula until you’ve seen a doctor. Continue to breastfeed if you don’t have any milk or formula on hand, per CDC guidelines.
13. Prepare for long-term changes
Foods like produce, meat, and dairy can be contaminated by long-term radiation, especially in areas that are close to the disaster site.
After the Fukushima disaster, the US banned the import of certain Japanese foods from the affected region. The FDA didn’t deactivate that order until 2021, more than 10 years later.
Read the original article on Business Insider