What Happens to Your Food When the Power Goes Out? Knowing What to Do Can Prevent Illness

Sooner or later, every home has a power outage or a mechanical breakdown that knocks out the refrigerator. Dealing with the food inside requires a knowledge of food safety. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends the following guidelines:

* Keep the freezer door closed.

To keep what cold air you have inside, don’t open the door more than necessary. A full freezer will stay at freezing temperatures about two days; a half-full freezer about one day. If your freezer is not full, group packages so they form an “igloo” to slow thawing. Place them to one side or on a tray so when they begin thawing their juices won’t touch other foods. If you believe power will be out for several days, try to find some block ice. You can put it in the refrigerator’s freezer unit along with your refrigerated perishables such as meat, poultry and dairy items. You can also use dry ice (see below).

* How to handle dry ice

To locate a distributor of dry ice, look under “ice” or “carbon dioxide” in the phone book. Buy 25 pounds of dry ice to keep a 10 cubic-foot freezer full of food safe three to four days; half full, two to three days. An 18 cubic-foot freezer that’s full requires 50 to 100 pounds of dry ice to keep food safe two days; half-full, less than two days. Handle dry ice with caution and in a well-ventilated area. Don’t touch it with bare hands; wear gloves or use tongs. Wrap dry ice in brown paper for longer storage. One large piece lasts longer than small ones. The temperature of dry ice is -216 degrees Fahrenheit. It may cause freezer burn on items located near or touching it. Separate dry ice from the food using a piece of cardboard.

* Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer at all times.

This will remove the guesswork. The key to determining the safety of foods in the refrigerator and freezer is knowing how cold they are. The refrigerator temperature should be 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below; the freezer, 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

* Be prepared for all power outages.

Stock up on unrefrigerated staples, canned goods, juices and “no-freeze” entrees. Plan ahead how you can keep foods cold. Buy some cooler freeze packs and keep them frozen. Buy a cooler. Freeze water in plastic containers or store bags of ice. Know in advance where you can buy dry and block ice.

* Don’t take chances by tasting.

Never taste food to determine its safety. Some foods may look and smell fine, but if they’ve been at room temperature too long, bacteria that cause illness can begin to grow very rapidly. Some types can produce toxins not destroyed by cooking.

* For additional food safety information about meat, poultry or eggs, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at (800) 535-4555 (TTY [800] 256-7072). It is staffed by home economists, registered dietitians and food technologists during weekdays. An extensive selection of food safety recordings can be heard 24 hours a day by using a touch-tone phone.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture