How to safely vacuum food to support people in flood-hit areas

Among the relief goods for people in flood-hit areas, many types of banh chung, bread and other foods are vacuum-packed to be delivered to people.

Typhoon No. 3 (Yagi) has caused great damage to people in the North. The storm's circulation caused flash floods and landslides, creating isolated areas, people need support with necessities, including food and clean water to drink.

In addition to material contributions and essential supplies, a large amount of food has been donated by departments, agencies, organizations, charity groups and individuals to flood-hit areas. However, distributing goods and food to people is not simple, it takes time to travel, the roads are difficult, and the weather is rainy and windy, so it is necessary to pay attention to ensuring safe food reaches people in storm and flood-hit areas.

Currently, some families and individuals have processed and vacuum-sealed food to send to people in flood-hit areas. Processing, packaging and vacuum-sealing food yourself can help extend the shelf life of food but there is a risk of not ensuring food safety.

Risk of infection with extremely toxic bacteria

According to the Department of Food Safety, Ministry of Health, unsanitary processing leads to the risk of food contamination , especially anaerobic bacteria contamination (bacteria that grow in an environment lacking air), producing toxins that cause poisoning to users.

One of the anaerobic bacteria that often causes poisoning in canned foods and vacuum-packed foods is Clostridium botulinum. This type of bacteria is strictly anaerobic and forms spores (a form of bacteria that can survive in an unfavorable environment).

Clostridium botulinum toxin is only produced in anaerobic environments, is highly virulent and has a serious impact on human health, and can even cause chronic danger.

Food is processed and vacuum-packed by local people to send as relief aid. (Photo: VFA).

To ensure safe food support to people, the Food Safety Department recommends that organizations and individuals prioritize donating and supporting prepackaged food with a long shelf life.

These foods can be purchased from food safety-ensuring processing facilities such as: dry food, canned foods, sealed packages such as meat, fish, canned vegetables, instant noodles, sterilized sausages, bottled water, jarred water. with full labels and expiration dates according to regulations.

In addition, groups can support vitamins and digestive enzymes to support the health of children and the elderly in storm and flood areas.

If you make it yourself, you should pay attention to choosing foods that are suitable for vacuum packaging such as: dried meat, dried fish, popcorn, rice popcorn, and cakes wrapped in leaves that are thoroughly cooked (for many hours) such as banh chung and banh tet. After removing the cakes, you should leave them in a clean place, squeeze out the water, and let them cool before vacuum packaging.

When packing and vacuuming, people should put a piece of paper with the production date inside the packaging so that the transporter and user know and arrange the appropriate time for distribution and use.

At the same time, people should support homemade, vacuum-packed foods for areas with short transport times. This helps ensure that people can access food support, as soon as possible after processing.

Check before eating

The Food Safety Department said that during the process of moving and distributing relief food, the person responsible for the implementation must carefully package the goods to avoid them being soaked in rainwater or falling or being submerged in flood water or mud.

For homemade foods with short shelf life, the distributor needs to pay attention to the transportation time to ensure that the food does not spoil, spoil, or become moldy when it reaches the recipient.

When receiving food, before using, people should check the food packaging provided : Absolutely do not use expired food, canned food that is swollen, flattened, deformed, rusty, not intact or has an unusual taste or color.

Canned food that does not swell but when opened makes a "hissing" sound, meaning there is air inside, and has a 'strong smell' should not be used to prevent contamination with anaerobic bacteria, especially botulinum toxin.

Banh chung and banh tet are vacuum-packed and sent to people in storm and flood-affected areas. (Photo: Thy Thuong).

Foods made by the supporter such as banh chung, banh tet. sealed with vacuum-sealed film, must be carefully observed before use. If there are air bubbles inside the film, the film is bulging, or when the film is opened, the food is slimy, moldy, has an unusual smell or taste, people should not use it.

At the same time, the Food Safety Department also requested the authorities and local authorities affected by storms and floods to arrange forces to organize the reception and distribution of relief food as quickly as possible to the people.

At the same time, agencies need to maintain propaganda so that people can ensure the best food hygiene under possible conditions.

Units proactively stockpile medicines, chemicals, vehicles, human resources, and plans to proactively handle and remedy any food poisoning or food-related illnesses that may occur.