Worried about losing groceries during a power outage? Here's how to keep food safe
On Tuesday, morning and evening thunderstorms swept across Michigan, downing trees and powerlines and leaving more than 365,000 residents without power.
In a power outage, many people's first thought goes for their refrigerator and the weeks' worth of groceries that are threatened to spoil, raising questions about what items might need to be tossed in the event that the power stays out.
If your power was out just a few hours and you didn't open the refrigerator or freezer, chances are, the food is fine, but if the power is out for an extended period of time, here's what to do to keep food safe and how to know when and what has to be tossed out.
How to keep food safe
Avoid opening refrigerator and freezer doors to prevent the cold air from escaping. A refrigerator should keep food cold for four hours and a half-full freezer 24 hours (48 hours if the freezer is full) if you don't open the doors, according to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
If you know the power will be out for an extended period, get ice or dry ice to keep foods cold. Fifty pounds of dry ice, the Food and Drug Administration says, should hold an 18-cubic-foot freezer for two days. Take care when handling dry ice; don't handle it with bare hands or place it directly on foods.
Use a refrigerator-freezer thermometer to check the temperature.
In either the refrigerator or freezer, if the temperature is 40 degrees or below, the food is safe.
The refrigerator will keep food safe for up to four hours. If the power is off longer, transfer the food to a cooler and fill it with ice or frozen gel packs. You need to make sure there is enough ice to keep food in the cooler at 40 degrees or below — replenishing the ice as it begins to melt.
Check the packages. If the food still contains ice crystals or is at 40 degrees or below when checked with a food thermometer, you can refreeze it, but the quality may not be the same.
Group foods together in the freezer to help them stay cold longer.
Keep food on ice in coolers.
Foods to toss
Bacteria growth can take place in these foods that have been above 40 degrees for two hours or more. Discard the following if your refrigerator has been without power for more than four hours:
Raw, cooked or leftover meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, yogurt, eggs, leftovers, hot dogs, bacon, lunch meats, pizza, shredded cheeses, casseroles, pasta and pasta sauces, cut fruits and vegetables.
Mixed salads such as tuna, chicken, potato and pasta salads.
Cream-based salad dressings, sauces and soups.
Opened mayonnaise, tartar sauce and horseradish if they were held above 50 degrees for over eight hours.
Discard any foods like bread or salad greens that may have become contaminated by juices dripping from raw meat, poultry, or fish.
Sour cream-based or any dairy-based dips.
Fruits and vegetables that have become slimy or spoiled.
Toss out any food with an unusual odor, color or texture. Remember: when in doubt, throw it out, and never taste food to determine if it's OK.
Foods to keep
Condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, jelly, jam, soy sauce and bottled marinade. Typically, these have high salt and sugar content that can act as a preservative. Keep in mind that jams and jellies can grow mold after three or four days. Toss out ones that show signs of mold.
Butter/margarine.
Hard and processed cheeses are typically fine.
Foods that don't actually require refrigeration like fresh herbs, spices, flour and nuts.
Fresh bread and rolls.
Whole fruits and vegetables that show no signs of decay.
How to clean
Once the power is restored, here’s how to care for the inside of your refrigerator or freezer and rid them of any odors.
Dispose of any spoiled or questionable food.
Remove shelves, crispers and ice trays. Wash them thoroughly with hot water and detergent. Then rinse with a sanitizing solution of 1 tablespoon unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water.
Wash the interior of the refrigerator and freezer, including the door and gaskets, with hot water and baking soda. Rinse with a sanitizing solution.
Leave the door open for about 15 minutes.
What to do if there is still an odor
Wipe the inside of the unit with equal parts of vinegar and water to destroy mildew.
Leave the door open and allow it to air out for several days.
Stuff the refrigerator and freezer with rolled newspapers. Keep the door closed for several days. Remove the newspaper and clean with vinegar and water.
Sprinkle fresh coffee grounds or baking soda loosely in a large, shallow container in the bottom of the unit.
Use a commercial product available at hardware and houseware stores. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Meat and Poultry hotline, 888-674-6854, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. For information fsis.usda.gov.
Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How long will food last in a power outage? Here's what to know
