USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency 

in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.

Food Safety Information

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

USDA Photo

Fire! Few words can strike such terror. Residential fires are, unfortunately, a common occurrence. Some 2 million American homes go up in flames yearly. In the aftermath of fire, people are left to salvage their 

lives and belongings.

Whether it’s the whole house involved or just a fire in the kitchen, people try to save what they can —including 

food. But generally, saving food that’s been in a fire is not a good idea.

Food exposed to fire can be compromised by three factors: the heat of the fire, smoke fumes, and chemicals used 

to fight fire.

Chemicals in Fires 

Chemicals used to fight fires contain toxic 

Heat from the Fire

Food in cans or jars may appear to be okay, but if 

they’ve been close to the HEAT of a fire, they may 

no longer be safe.

Why? Heat from a fire can activate food spoilage 

bacteria. If the heat is extreme, the cans or jars 

themselves can split or rupture, rendering the 

food unsafe.

Fumes from a Fire

One of the most dangerous elements of a fire is 

sometimes not the fire itself, but TOXIC FUMES 

released from burning materials.

Those fumes can kill; they can also contaminate 

food. Any type of food stored in permeable 

packaging — cardboard, plastic wrap, etc. — 

should be thrown away. Toxic fumes can permeate 

the packaging and contaminate the food. 

Discard any raw foods stored outside the 

refrigerator — such as potatoes or fruit — that 

could be contaminated by fumes.

Surprisingly, food stored in refrigerators or 

freezers can also become contaminated by fumes. 

The refrigerator seal isn’t airtight and fumes can 

get inside.

Discard food if exposed to smoke fumes from fire. 

Fires and Food Safety

materials and can contaminate food and cookware. 

The chemicals cannot be washed off the food.

Foods that are exposed to chemicals should be 

thrown away. This includes food stored at room 

temperature, such as fruits and vegetables, as 

well as foods stored in permeable containers like 

cardboard and screw-topped jars and bottles.

Canned goods and cookware exposed to chemicals 

can be decontaminated.

Wash in a strong detergent solution. Then dip 

in a bleach solution (1 tablespoon of unscented, 

liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water) for 15 

minutes.

Fire Stoppers 

The American Red Cross recommends that you:

•	 Make your home fire-safe by installing 

battery-powered smoke detectors on each 

floor and in the garage. Test the detectors 

twice a year and keep a working fire 

extinguisher in the kitchen. 

•	 Plan two emergency escape routes from 

each room in the house. Have rope or chain 

ladders for upstairs rooms. Agree on where 

to meet after the family escapes. 

•	 Have your own practice fire drills. Instruct 

everyone to crawl low under smoke.
Food Safety Questions?

The USDA is an equal opportunity

 provider and employer.

Updated February 2013

Send E-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.

Fires and Food Safety

For more information, contact the USDA Meat 

and Poultry Hotline 1 (888-674-6854) or one 

of these other government sites.

CDC: Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

•	 Call 1-800-CDC-INFO or 1-800-232-4636, 

TTY 1-888-232-6348, for information on 

hazards, safe clean up, and preventing 

illness and injury. Available in English and 

Spanish, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

www.cdc.gov

FDA: Food and Drug Administration 

•	 For information on safe food handling for 

foods other than meat, poultry, or egg 

products, call FDA’s toll-free information 

line at 1-888-SAFEFOOD or 1-888-723-

3366. http://www.fda.gov/Food/

default.htm

Other 

•	 Environmental Protection Agency - EPA’s 

Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 1-800-426-

4791 www.epa.gov

•	 Federal Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA): Food and Water in an Emergency 

www.fema.gov

Consumer Food Safety and General Disaster 

Assistance Site:

www.foodsafety.gov

Click on “In An Emergency” under the “Keep Food 

Safe” menu dropdown.

FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety 

education purposes. However, USDA symbols or logos may not be used separately to 

imply endorsement of a commercial product or service. 

If you have a question 

about meat, poultry, or egg 

products, call the USDA 

Meat and Poultry Hotline toll free at 

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The hotline is open

year-round

 Monday through Friday from 

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET (English or 

Spanish).

Recorded food safety 

messages are available 

24 hours a day. Check 

out the 

FSIS Web site at

www.fsis.usda.gov. 

Ask Karen.gov

FSIS’ automated response 

system can provide food safety 

information 24/7 

and a

live chat 

during 

Hotline 

hours.

Mobile phone users

can access m.askkaren.gov.

PregunteleaKaren.gov

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline