Some areas of Delaware County have
experienced power outages due to severe thunderstorms. It is important to keep your food safe during
a power outage to prevent spoilage which puts you at a higher risk for food
borne illnesses.
If
the power goes out, it is important to open the refrigerator and freezer as
little as possible. Is food in the refrigerator safe during a power outage? Generally,
food in the refrigerator will remain cold for four to six hours if the door
isn't opened.
Discard
any perishable food (such as meat, dairy, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers)
that have been above 40 °F for over 2 hours.
When in doubt throw it out!
Never
taste food to determine its safety! You can’t rely on appearance or odor to
determine whether food is safe.
Note:
Always discard any items in the refrigerator or freezer that have come into
contact with raw meat juices.
Despite
your best efforts, the food in your freezer may partially or completely thaw
before power is restored.
Thawed
or partially thawed food in the freezer may be safely refrozen if it still
contains ice crystals or is at 40 °F or below. Partial thawing and refreezing
may affect the quality of some food, but the food will be safe to eat.
If
you keep an appliance thermometer in your freezer, it’s easy to tell whether
food is safe. When the power comes back on, check the thermometer. If it reads
40 °F or below, the food is safe and can be refrozen.
Helpful
Hints: Saving Food in the Freezer
The
freezer temperature should be between 0 and -10 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Keep the cold
air in your freezer by not opening the door any more than necessary. An
unopened full freezer will stay at freezing temperature about two days and
a half-full freezer about one day.
- The kind of
food in the freezer makes a difference. For instance, foods with a high
water content, such as meat or fruit, will stay frozen longer than food
with a low water content, such as bread.
- If your freezer
is not full, group packages so they form an "igloo" to protect
each other. Place them to one side or on a tray so that if they begin
thawing, their juices won't get on other food.
- If you think
power will be out for several days, try to find some dry ice. Although dry ice can be used in the
refrigerator, block ice is better. If your refrigerator's freezer is
thawing out, you can put the block ice in the refrigerator's freezer along
with your refrigerated perishables such as meat, poultry and dairy items.
For more information on Food Safety contact Delaware
County Public Health at (607)-832-5200 or New York State Oneonta District
Office (607)-432-3911.
