5. Foods, such as potatoes and hard-skinned fruits and vegetables, can be decontaminated by washing or scrubbing, followed by peeling or scraping, then washing again.
6. Prepared food in open containers will be contaminated; it must be temporarily isolated, or disposed of (bury or as directed by commander).
7. A food Item that is contaminated with irritants can be decontaminated by airing. Consumability is determined by taste rather than toxicity.
8. Phosgene is rapidly hydrolyzed, therefore, washing the food with water or airing it will usually suffice.
9. Food contaminated with white phosphorous should be destroyed.
10. Normally, hydrocyanic acid will have little effect on food supplies. The exposures will most likely be as a vapor. However, foods with a high water content may become unfit for consumption after exposure to high concentrations.
11. The effect of CK on foods is not known. Foods exposed to CK vapors are considered toxic.
12. [Table J-8] lists the decontamination procedures for unpackaged food contaminated with a chemical agent.
(9) Decontaminating cattle, poultry, and other livestock is only attempted when other sources of food are not available. Heavily contaminated animals should be destroyed. Livestock contaminated lightly by phosgene, nerve agents, mustards, and arsenicals (such as vapor or liquid) may be slaughtered in the early stages of poisoning before the full effects of exposure are shown. If these animals are slaughtered in the preliminary stages of poisoning and all tissues exposed to the agent (the head, blood, lungs, organs, and local areas) are discarded, there is no danger in consumption of the meat, provided the animal passes a pre-slaughter and slaughter inspection. This is true even of animals poisoned by arsenical agents since the edible tissue will contain amounts of arsenic too small to be toxic. Organs (liver, brain, heart, kidney, and lungs) will contain more arsenic than the musculature and are discarded. The meat must be well cooked. Personnel involved in slaughtering procedures must be careful to prevent spreading contamination to the meat and to themselves.