Living in Oklahoma, dealing with the aftermath of winter storms like this is part of life said Barbara Brown, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension food specialist.

“In the event of a power outage, the basic guide for food safety of frozen food is whether or not the food still contains ice crystals,” Brown said. “A full freezer should keep for about 48 hours. A half-full freezer is good for about 24 hours. One way to extend this time is by filling the empty space in the freezer with newspaper or blankets.”

Food that has thawed and contains no ice crystals should be thrown away. Brown said if you notice blood from meat that has thawed during the power outage, advanced thawing has occurred and those foods should be thrown out.

“For food still containing ice crystals, it would be a good idea to mark each package with an X or label as refrozen to indicate these items should be eaten first and as soon as possible,” she said.

Foods in the refrigerator should be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. During a power outage, foods will remain safe to eat for about four hours. Once perishable foods have been above 40 degrees for more than two hours they are no longer safe to eat. This includes meats of any sort, including lunch meat; eggs, whether raw or hard-cooked; dairy products, specifically liquid and creamy dairy products such as milk, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream and yogurt; soft and shredded cheeses; opened, creamy salad dressing; and leftover stews, casseroles, soups and other leftover cooked foods.

Some foods can be kept at room temperature for a few days, including butter or margarine, fruit juices, jelly, relish, ketchup, barbecue sauce, pickles, baked goods, hard cheeses and processed cheeses.

A good way to know the temperature of foods is to keep an appliance thermometer in both the refrigerator and the freezer. In the event of a power outage, consumers will know if the temperature in the refrigerator or freezer drops below a safe level after a few hours. 

“If your freezer is not full when the power fails, quickly group packages of food together so they can help keep each other cold,” she said. “When you do that, be sure to separate meat and poultry so they are below other foods. That way, if they begin to thaw, their juices won’t drip onto ready-to-eat foods.”

Brown recommends keeping your freezer full to maximize storage. If you routinely have empty space in the freezer, fill clean juice bottles or milk containers with water and store them in the freezer. These blocks of ice can buy a person several extra hours of cold storage in the event of a power outage.

“It’s much better to be safe than sorry when it comes to salvaging food items following a weather emergency,” Brown said. “In most cases, the power is usually restored within a few hours. However, if the outage lasts several days, be prepared to toss everything. The best rule of thumb is ‘when in doubt, throw it out.’”

For additional food safety information, please contact your local OSU Cooperative Extension county office.

###

Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Higher Education Act), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, genetic information, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, or status as a veteran, in any of its policies, practices or procedures.  This provision includes, but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. The Director of Equal Opportunity, 408 Whitehurst, OSU, Stillwater, OK 74078-1035; phone 405-744-5371; email: [email protected] has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity. Any person (student, faculty, or staff) who believes that discriminatory practices have been engaged in based on gender may discuss his or her concerns and file informal or formal complaints of possible violations of Title IX with OSU’s Title IX Coordinator 405-744-9154.

Trisha Gedon
Communications Specialist
Agricultural Communications Services
136 Agriculture North
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK  74078
405-744-3625 (phone)
405-744-5739 (fax)
[email protected]

Read more http://www.dasnr.okstate.edu/news/food-safety-concerns-during-a-power-outage

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here