FAO Launches Practical Food-Safety Guidance for Natural Disasters

When a flood, wildfire, earthquake, drought or volcanic eruption disrupts a household, food safety can become difficult to judge. Electricity may fail, clean water may be unavailable, and food can be exposed to floodwater, ash, smoke, chemicals or damaged packaging. A new set of resources from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations aims to make those decisions clearer.

Published on 18 May 2026, the FAO announcement followed a webinar held on 7 May with more than 200 participants from around the world. The session focused on food safety during natural disasters and launched a dedicated web page together with infographic resources for consumers and food-system responders.

Why emergencies create extra food-safety risks

FAO describes disasters as multihazard events rather than isolated incidents. A power outage can affect refrigeration, while a flood may damage water and sewage systems at the same time. Wildfires can expose food and water to smoke, ash or chemical residues, and earthquakes can introduce debris or contaminants into kitchens and storage areas.

The consequences are practical. Food may look normal but have been exposed to unsafe temperatures or contaminated water. Hygiene becomes harder when handwashing facilities are damaged. Food prepared with unsafe water can create additional illness at exactly the moment when healthcare and emergency services are under pressure.

FAO also highlights that food safety is part of food security. Keeping food available is not enough if it cannot be safely eaten. The organisation says preparedness, coordination and clear communication can protect public health during recovery operations.

The six checks households can use

The new FAO guidance groups risk-reduction measures into six areas. Together, they provide a useful checklist for anyone preparing food during or after an emergency.

Practise good hygiene. Keep hands, utensils and food-contact surfaces as clean as conditions allow. Pay particular attention to waste management and personal hygiene when normal water and sanitation services are disrupted.
Avoid contamination. Keep raw ingredients separate from cooked or ready-to-eat food. Treat floodwater, ash, smoke and debris as possible sources of contamination rather than trying to judge safety by appearance alone.
Control temperature. FAO identifies 5°C to 60°C as a range in which harmful microorganisms can grow rapidly. During a power cut, limit unnecessary refrigerator opening and follow local emergency advice about food that has warmed. A food thermometer can help when temperature is uncertain, but it cannot make contaminated food safe.
Use safe water. Water is an ingredient as well as a cleaning tool. Use only water confirmed safe by local authorities for drinking, cooking, washing produce and cleaning equipment. If an official notice says water must be boiled or treated, follow that instruction before preparing food.
Use safe ingredients. Check the condition of packaging and ingredients before cooking. Food affected by floodwater, chemicals, smoke or physical damage should not be used unless emergency authorities provide specific instructions that it can be safely recovered.
Transport and store food safely. Keep food protected from further contamination and maintain temperature control during transport and storage. Use clean, closed containers where possible, and avoid mixing food from questionable sources with food that is known to be safe.

What this means in a home kitchen

The most useful part of the FAO approach is its emphasis on decisions made in sequence. First identify the hazard: loss of power, unsafe water, flood exposure, smoke, chemical contamination or damaged packaging. Next separate potentially affected food from food that remains protected. Then check whether safe water, clean utensils and reliable temperature control are available before cooking.

Do not rely on smell, colour or a best-before date to resolve a disaster-related safety question. Those signs can help assess quality, but they cannot confirm that food has avoided pathogens or chemical contamination. When food has been exposed to floodwater or unknown contaminants, the safest choice is to follow official emergency guidance rather than attempting to rescue it through cooking.

For food that remains protected, keep preparation simple. Wash hands with safe water, use clean equipment, keep raw and cooked foods apart, and minimise the time perishable food spends outside temperature control. If refrigeration has been interrupted, document when the outage began and check local guidance before serving chilled or frozen food.

A resource for preparedness, not just response

FAO’s new page includes hazard-specific infographics for drought, floods, wildfires, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Each set is based on risk-based food-safety principles and the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene. The materials cover microbiological, chemical and physical hazards, making them suitable for household planning as well as emergency response.

The announcement is relevant beyond disaster zones. Extreme weather, temporary power cuts and water-supply interruptions can affect any kitchen. Saving the FAO guidance before an emergency, keeping a food thermometer available and knowing how local authorities communicate water and food-safety warnings can reduce rushed decisions later.

FAO’s message is deliberately proportionate: emergency conditions require stronger attention to food safety, but not unnecessary fear about every food item. A calm hazard-by-hazard check can help households protect what remains safe, discard what has been compromised and prepare food responsibly when normal kitchen systems are under strain.