Food Safety Tips During a Power Outage
Having gone without power for over 10 days during Hurricane Sandy, I know first hand how painful it is to throw away all the food from your freezer. Of course, we were thankful that was all we were faced with as others were faced with so much more devastation.
With the upcoming snow storm expected to hit the East Coast this weekend, I thought it would be a good time to address food safety during a power outage. As much as it may hurt to throw food away, it is much safer then to risk food borne illness. However, there are ways you can extend the life of your food by making some minor adjustments.
Here are some food safety tips to prepare for power outages:
- Get Appliance Thermometers and place in your refrigerator and freezer. Your freezer temperature should be at or below 0 °F and the refrigerator should be at or below 40 °F
- Freeze ziploc bags of water and place in the freezer. This has a double purpose. The first is to help in keeping the temperature in your freezer lower and you can use the water for drinking once it defrosts.
- Freeze any items that are currently in your refrigerator including milk, meat, butter, leftovers, etc. This will preserve them that much longer if the power goes out.
- Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerated foods cold longer if the power goes out for more then 4 hours
- Group like foods together in the freezer to help them stay cold longer
- Have a supply of bottled water stored safely.
If the Power Goes Out
- Be sure to keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
- Place meats that are in your freezer on a tray in case of thawing juices
- If your freezer is full, the temperature will remain at safe levels for approximately 48 hours. If the freezer is half full it will remain at the proper temperature for approximately 24 hours.
If you have lost power for an extended period of time:
- Food that is above 40 °F for 2 hours or more must be discarded
- Throw any food out that has an unusual odor, color or texture. If it’s warm to the touch, toss it.
- If your food has been partially or completely thawed you may refreeze it if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40 °F or below
- Do not taste food to determine if it is safe.
Be sure to check the USDA Website for even more important Food Safety Tips.
