Safe To Eat

Power outages happen. When they do, it is important to know how safe your food is, especially during summer thunderstorms and peak hurricane season.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food safety during power outages depends on several factors. Here is what you need to know:

• Maintaining food at a safe temperature means keeping your refrigerator and freezer closed as long as possible while the power is out. Refrigerators should be kept at 40 degrees or below.
• The optimal temperature for a refrigerator is around 37 degrees, and freezers should be at 0 degrees or below. Bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses can begin growing in temperatures above 40 degrees. Every time you open your fridge during an outage, you release the cold air inside the fridge and increase the risk of your food spoiling.
• An unopened, full refrigerator below 40 degrees should keep food safe during a power outage for four hours. A standalone freezer will hold its temperature for up to 48 hours if it is full and 24 hours if it is half full. The freezer compartment of a refrigerator may not keep foods frozen for as long, so be cautious of that.
• Keep thermometers inside your refrigerator and freezer. Not only do they let will you know your appliances are cooling properly when the power is on, but you will be able to see if the interior temperature reaches an unsafe level during an outage.
• Move perishable food to a cooler with ice when an outage stretches beyond 4 hours.
• If you’re able to plan for potential power outages — for example, if a hurricane is approaching — freeze jugs of water or gel packs you can use to keep food cold if the power goes out. Group foods together in your freezer to help them stay colder longer. Move refrigerated items like leftovers, meat and poultry to the freezer if you do not plan to eat them immediately.
• Foods like hard cheeses, butter, pickles, sauces, jellies, condiments, and fresh uncut fruits and vegetables are most likely to be fine following a temporary outage. Be more careful with raw meat, milk, eggs, and opened baby formula.
• Get rid of refrigerated foods that feel warm to the touch or develop an unusual odor, color or texture. Do not taste foods to test their safety. Remember, the safest bet is when in doubt, throw it out.