What to do with food that was in a pantry...

[Shutterbug]

that mouse droppings were found?
I was visiting parents, and was getting something out of the food pantry when I noticed what I thought were mouse droppings in the bottom. Upon our investigation we found alot of droppings on jars and cans and packages.
I put on a pair of gloves and we removed all the food.

I am of the opinion that everything in there should be thrown out. My mom refuses to throw out perfectly good food just because there were mouse droppings on the outside of the package. She said she can wash off cans and jars and its okay. I said well what about the cardboard packages? She said well if she doesnt see droppings on them they are fine. I said its obvious the mouse or mice were all over everything even if there is no droppings on them how do you know they didnt pee on the cardboard and such. I said what about the viruses and such that could be on these packages? She said "stop over reacting" and said she was not throwing out food period to the point of her getting mad.

Am I over reacting or is she just refusing to accept she needs to throw it out because she doesnt want to throw out "perfectly good food"

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

that mouse droppings were found?
I was visiting parents, and was getting something out of the food pantry when I noticed what I thought were mouse droppings in the bottom. Upon our investigation we found alot of droppings on jars and cans and packages.
I put on a pair of gloves and we removed all the food.

I am of the opinion that everything in there should be thrown out. My mom refuses to throw out perfectly good food just because there were mouse droppings on the outside of the package. She said she can wash off cans and jars and its okay. I said well what about the cardboard packages? She said well if she doesnt see droppings on them they are fine. I said its obvious the mouse or mice were all over everything even if there is no droppings on them how do you know they didnt pee on the cardboard and such. I said what about the viruses and such that could be on these packages? She said "stop over reacting" and said she was not throwing out food period to the point of her getting mad.

I, personally, would throw it all out. But I guess I could see keeping unopened jars. Not cans though... What if the top falls in? Even if they are cleaned I wouldn't want to eat anything like that.

 

[Janepod]

Keep unopened stuff. You really think there are no mouse droppings in your grocery store?

My grandfather was a firefighter in the Bronx for many years. He said that far and away the worst fires were not tenements but grocery stores -- that mice and rats would start dropping out of the ceiling and landing on you.

 

[LSmith]

.

 

[MouseMomx2]

I wouldn't throw out anything that has not been opened or that shows no sign of contact. Nibbled boxes/packages would go out, as would anything that the mouse/mice could have been in contact with.

I would wash cans and jars and wipe down undamaged boxes.

 

[SandrA9810]

Some boxes have an interior bag as well, like cereal boxes. I would open the box and inspect the bag for damage. Boxes of pasta would go out. Paper bags, like flour and sugar would be tossed.

Look at the cost replacement of the stuff, if it's cheap, chuck it. If your mom won't comply with you now, just buy her a load of groceries to replace the stuff. Tell her her health is more important than a few dollars of groceries.

Then you want to look for where the mice got into the cabinets and if there's still a problem. I would put some of those glue traps in the corners.

 

[minkydog]

I'd keep everything in cans and jars, and any unopened boxes of food. Make up a mixture of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water and wipe everything down with that. You don't need to soak everything--just wipe down and air dry. Then use that same solution to wipe out every surface of the cabinets. Put down fresh shelf liner if it makes you feel better. Any and all packages that have been previously opened and used should be considered contaminated. Check unopened boxes for "nibble marks."

I understand how frustrating this is. My mom is 79 and she is just about to drive me crazy with this kind of stuff. She saves discolored and fuzzy tidbits of this and that. She never labels or dates anything. Often when I ask her, she'll say, "Oh, I had that the other day, it's still good." when I press her for WHICH day, often it comes to light that the food is 1-2 weeks old, or older. The other day she opened up a can of crackers that smelled so bad my eyes watered--and then she tried to give them to my sick daughter! There's nothing wrong with her brain--she's sharp as a tack. That's what makes it so frustrating to me. She's a nurse, for God's sake! She knows that stuff can make her sick. Oh, excuse me--it can make everyone else sick. She feels she will be fine, "because I'm a nurse." Yeah....she had some serious food poisoning 3 weeks ago...

 

[Shutterbug]

I wouldn't throw out anything that has not been opened or that shows no sign of contact. Nibbled boxes/packages would go out, as would anything that the mouse/mice could have been in contact with.

I would wash cans and jars and wipe down undamaged boxes.

All of this was packed into a closet. The mouse probably climbed over everything. Even if there isn't droppings on it, the mouse probably still climbed or peed on it, basically cross contamination.

How do you wipe down and sterilize a cardboard box?

 

[Shutterbug]

Then you want to look for where the mice got into the cabinets and if there's still a problem. I would put some of those glue traps in the corners.

Yeah we put out traps last night, they got one mouse so far.

 

[kwelch10377]

I would keep any cans/jars that and wash them before opening them. Any boxes that have an inner plastic bag that is unopened I would keep ( but throw away the cardboard box). Everything else would be gone.

 

[fortwildernessishome]

I would toss everything! Over a year ago I may have had a different opinion, BUT, last year we stayed at Yosemite National Park. We stayed three nights and had a wonderful time. The day we left news broke that someone had died of hanta virus that they had contacted at Yosemite. We are from the east coast and had never even heard of hanta. In the case of Yosemite, you didn't even have to necessarily see mouse droppings, the droppings were between the walls and if you inhaled the virus from the droppings you were at risk for getting infected. Of course, it is very rare to actually come down with the infection but, I believe three people died and another 3-4 people became infected and survived. The whole situation freaked us out. I will NEVER view mouse dropping the same way again!!!

 

[Gretchen]

Throw it all out. Mice pee where they run. Where you see droppings there are mice, where you see one mouse, you have 20. Throw it out. Call an exterminator.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I would toss all of it.

 

[dawnhaze]

I'd toss boxes, but keep jars and cans (after washing and sanitizing them).

 

[scrapquitler]

Keep unopened stuff. You really think there are no mouse droppings in your grocery store?

This. Wash off the jars/cans. Most box stuff has inside bags anyway. If the package is not damaged (holes, tears) it's fine. Opened stuff I would throw out.

 

[Shutterbug]

I would toss everything! Over a year ago I may have had a different opinion, BUT, last year we stayed at Yosemite National Park. We stayed three nights and had a wonderful time. The day we left news broke that someone had died of hanta virus that they had contacted at Yosemite. We are from the east coast and had never even heard of hanta. In the case of Yosemite, you didn't even have to necessarily see mouse droppings, the droppings were between the walls and if you inhaled the virus from the droppings you were at risk for getting infected. Of course, it is very rare to actually come down with the infection but, I believe three people died and another 3-4 people became infected and survived. The whole situation freaked us out. I will NEVER view mouse dropping the same way again!!!

Yeah I was reading that I should have worn a mask while helping clean up. All I wore was gloves

 

[RadioNate]

I'd keep jars and cans and definitely bleach dip and wash them before using. Anything in cardboard, opened or not would go.

I can't imagine there has never been mice in a factory or warehouse or grocery store.

 

[Angelhalo]

I would keep and sanitize cans and jars. Toss everything else. Been there, done that in our old house. Blah!

 

[crz4mm2]

Wow. We have mice all the time it seems (live next to three fields of corn/beans). If I had to throw everything out every time I saw a mouse turd, I would be broke!

 

[NHdisneylover]

I think you are totally overreacting.

I'd keep everything in cans and jars, and any unopened boxes of food. Make up a mixture of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water and wipe everything down with that. You don't need to soak everything--just wipe down and air dry. Then use that same solution to wipe out every surface of the cabinets. Put down fresh shelf liner if it makes you feel better. Any and all packages that have been previously opened and used should be considered contaminated. Check unopened boxes for "nibble marks."

I understand how frustrating this is. My mom is 79 and she is just about to drive me crazy with this kind of stuff. She saves discolored and fuzzy tidbits of this and that. She never labels or dates anything. Often when I ask her, she'll say, "Oh, I had that the other day, it's still good." when I press her for WHICH day, often it comes to light that the food is 1-2 weeks old, or older. The other day she opened up a can of crackers that smelled so bad my eyes watered--and then she tried to give them to my sick daughter! There's nothing wrong with her brain--she's sharp as a tack. That's what makes it so frustrating to me. She's a nurse, for God's sake! She knows that stuff can make her sick. Oh, excuse me--it can make everyone else sick. She feels she will be fine, "because I'm a nurse." Yeah....she had some serious food poisoning 3 weeks ago...

This. Wash off the jars/cans. Most box stuff has inside bags anyway. If the package is not damaged (holes, tears) it's fine. Opened stuff I would throw out.

Yes to both of these. Wipe down the jars and cans in bleach solution an air dry. Any boxes that do not show visible damage (if they had enough pee on them to penetrate the box there would be water damage to the box) AND have a plastic bag with the contents inside should be totally fine as well.

I'd toss open items and boxed items that do not have a plastic liner/bag to be on the safe side.