Sooner or later, every home experiences a power outage. The natural reaction is to save as much food as possible, but we also worry about whether or not the food will be safe for our families. Knowledge of food safety will help you make decisions about what food to keep and what to discard.
To monitor temperatures, keep an appliance thermometer in both the refrigerator and the freezer at all times. Also, keep a dial thermometer on hand. The key to determining the safety of foods is knowing how cold they are.
When the power goes out, try to find out how long it is expected to be off. If it will be off for only a few hours, don’t do anything. Open the freezer or refrigerator door as little as possible to allow the units to maintain their chilled temperatures longer.
In the Refrigerator
If the power is off for more than 2 hours, check the temperature each hour. Keep the thermometer close to the opening of the door so that you will only have to open the door slightly, keeping the temperature lower. Discard any perishable foods (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers) when they have been above 40°F for 2 hours or more, or any food that has an unusual odor, color, or texture, or feels warm to the touch. Never taste foods to determine their safety!
Some foods that will be safe, even if held at 40°F or more for more than 2 hours, include: hard and processed cheeses that are properly wrapped, margarine that is properly wrapped, uncut fresh fruit and fruit juices, fresh vegetables, peanut butter, jelly, relish, mustard, ketchup and barbecue sauce. Opened jars of mayonnaise, tartar sauce, or horseradish can be kept if they have not been held above 50°F for more than 8 hours.
In the Freezer
A full freezer will stay at freezing temperatures about 2 days; a half-full freezer about 1 day. If your freezer is not full, group packages so that they form an “igloo” to protect each other. Arrange meats so their juices do not drip onto other foods as the meats begin to thaw or put them on a tray. If foods have remained at a temperature of 41° F or below, they can be refrozen. However, quality of some foods may be reduced. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the food.
Thawed meat products that have been above 41° F for 2 hours or less can be cooked immediately, and either served or the cooked item can be frozen.
When dealing with a power outage, remember that you can’t rely on appearance or odor. Some foods may look and smell fine, but if they’ve been at temperatures above 41°f for too long, bacteria that cause foodborne illness can begin to grow very rapidly. Some types of bacteria will produce toxins that are not destroyed by cooking. Be especially careful, and discard any foods that have come into contact with raw meat juices.
The old rule of food storage is still a good one—If in doubt, throw it out!
