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Food
Guidelines
Sudden power outages
can be frustrating and troublesome, especially when they are
prolonged. Perishable foods should not be held above 40
degrees for more than 2 hours. If a power outage is 2 hours or
less, you need not be concerned, but how do you save your food
when the refrigerator is out for longer times? Being prepared
can help. By planning ahead, you can save your perishables.
What do I
need?
-
One or more
coolers. Inexpensive styrofoam coolers can do an excellent
job as well.
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Shelf-stable foods,
such as canned goods and powdered or boxed milk. These can
be eaten cold or heated on the grill.
-
A digital
quick-response thermometer. A digital thermometer should be
a necessity in your kitchen anyway. With these thermometers
you can quickly check the internal temperatures of food for
doneness and safety.
What to
do...
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Do not open the
refrigerator or freezer. Tell your little ones not to open
the door. An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold
enough for a couple of hours at least. A freezer that is
half full will hold for up to 24 hours and a full freezer
for 48 hours.
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If it looks like
the power outage will be for more than 2-4 hours, pack
refrigerated milk, dairy products, meats, fish, poultry,
eggs, gravy, stuffing and left-overs into your cooler
surrounded by ice.
-
If it looks like
the power outage will be prolonged, prepare a cooler with
ice for your freezer items.
Q’s and
A’s
What
should be discarded after a power outage? As soon as the
power returns, check temperatures. If the food in the freezer
has ice crystals and is not above 40 degrees you can refreeze.
Perishable foods in the refrigerator should not be above 40
degrees F. for more than two hours. Use this chart
to see what has to be discarded and what can be kept.
What if I go to
bed and the power is still not on? Before you go to bed, pack your
perishables into your coolers if you haven't already done so
and put in as much ice as you can. Also, when you go to bed,
leave a bedroom light switched on. When the power goes back
on, it will wake you, so you can check the condition of your
foods in the freezer.
What if the power
goes out while I’m at work or out of the house and it has been
more than a few hours before I get home? Try to determine how long the power
has been out. Check the internal temperature of the food in
your refrigerator with your quick-response thermometer. A
liquid such as milk or juice is easy to check. Spot check
other items like steaks or left-overs also. If the internal
temperature is above 40 degrees, it is best to throw it out.
What if the power
goes out and comes back on while I am out? If your freezer is fairly full and
you know it was not longer than 24 hours, the food should be
OK. There will be loss of quality with refreezing, but the
food will be safe. If the refrigerator was out for more than
2-4 hours, you are best to discard the perishables.
Prepared by Giant Food, Inc., Landover, Maryland,
June 1999. Used with permission. Original content adapted from
"Help, Power Outage!" Food News for Consumers, Summer 1989,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection
Service. ARC 1098 September 1999
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