GALVESTON — Robert Chazaro glanced at the near-empty meat counter in the back of Arlan’s Market grocery store near UTMB, where he is a manager.
“It looks so sad throwing all that away,” he said.
Arlan’s, along with 75 percent of the island, lost power during Hurricane Rita, which struck near the Texas and Louisiana border late Friday.
Like most grocers and restaurant owners, Chazaro had to toss out all the meat, milk and some fruits and vegetables stocked before the storm hit.
Galveston County Health District inspectors fanned across the county Sunday as residents returned to their homes and businesses started reopening.
“We stopped at all the grocery stores and we tried to stop at as many food establishments as we could,” said Ronnie Schultz, director of the district’s environmental health program. “The ones that were closed we left a note telling them to call us before reopening.”
At Kroger Grocery on the Seawall, manager Tom Hearring said his store threw out everything from yogurt to deli meat.
“We have stringent guidelines on temperature control,” he said.
The health department planned to inspect the food supplies of any business that lost electricity for a significant period of time this weekend.
Chazaro said residents had also called with some complaints, which were being investigated.
He said homeowners who lost electricity should also be cautious about eating or drinking anything in the refrigerator.
“Basically just use common sense,” he said. “We always say, ‘If there is any doubt throw it out.’”
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For more information on food safety go to http://www.foodsafety.gov/
