We refrigerate or freeze foods to keep them fresh and prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses through the growth of microorganisms such as salmonella, E. coli and botulism. But what happens if the power goes out and your appliances stop working?
These food storage tips from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration can help you understand what to do with food during and after a power outage.
If you lose electricity, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Your refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours if it’s unopened. A full freezer will keep an adequate temperature for about 48 hours if the door remains closed. If your freezer is not very full, fill it up with gallon jugs of water. They’ll help keep food safe longer.
Once power is restored, you’ll need to determine the safety of your food. Here’s how:
- If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, check the temperature when the power comes back on. If the freezer thermometer reads 40 degrees or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen.
- If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. You can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40 degrees or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook. If in doubt, throw it out.
- Refrigerated food should be safe as long as the power was not out for more than four hours and the refrigerator door was kept shut.
- Discard any refrigerated perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs or leftovers) that has been at temperatures above 40 degrees for four hours or more. Perishable foods with temperatures that are 45 degrees or below (measured with a food thermometer) should be safe but should be cooked and consumed as soon as possible.