Keep Food Safe: When In Doubt, Throw It Out!
Unfortunately, power outages do occur from time to time. It’s important to know how to keep your food safe during an outage. Use these tips from USDA to help minimize food loss and reduce your risk of illness.
Before a power outage:
- Keep refrigerator at 40° or below.
- Freeze items like fresh meat and poultry that you won’t use immediately.
- Keep the freezer set to 0° or below.
- Group frozen foods to help items stay colder longer.
- If you anticipate an extended power outage, buy dry or block ice to keep the fridge and/or freezer cold.
During a power outage:
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed!
- If the doors stay closed during the length of the outage:
- A full freezer will hold its temperature for 48 hours.
- A refrigerator will keep food safe for 4 hours.
After a power outage:
- Check the temperature inside your refrigerator and/or freezer.
- If the temperatures are safe, the food should be safe to eat.
Foods that should be thrown out after an extended power outage:
- Meat, poultry or seafood products
- Milk, yogurt, and other dairy products
- Cooked or sliced produce
- Eggs and egg products
- Soft and shredded cheese
- Opened baby formula
- Dough and cooked pasta
