The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority is monitoring the situation in the areas hit by floods, particularly in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Right in the field, the inspectors check the situation at flooded food business operators, both at producers and sellers. The aim is to help with elimination of  flood consequences and to prevent from the distribution of the foodstuffs destroyed by water so that the health of the consumers is not threatened. The inspectors are also ready to provide the operators with recommendations concerning foodstuffs which have to be destroyed.

“Some of the affected operators have already referred to our Authority with request for advice or a help how to prove the damage to the insurance company. We are aware that the entire situation is exceptional, therefore, we are ready to accommodate the operators as much as possible,“ Martin Klanica, deputising for the director of the CAFIA, said.

All the foodstuffs that were directly flooded must be disposed, as they pose risk of microbiological contamination, which is the case of non-packaged and hermetically packaged foodstuffs as well. Also foodstuffs stored under higher temperatures due to the power cut have to be withdrawn from the circulation. Chilled foodstuffs are regarded as dangerous if they were exposed to temperatures higher than 6 degrees Celsius for more than four hours. Frozen foodstuffs should not be kept outside the freezer for more than 2 hours. Foodstuffs that show evidence of sensory changes, modifications in consistency, taste, aroma etc. should be destroyed too. People should not buy foodstuffs at which it is obvious that they were flooded.

In affected areas, inspectors also check foodstuffs which did not come into contact with water, but that may be mouldy or that may contain mycotoxins as a result of heightened humidity. In this regard, the most dangerous commodities are powdery foodstuffs (such as flour or breadcrumbs), legumes, cereals etc.