After experiencing an outage, proper food safety measures should be taken. The following information is provided by the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). For additional food safety information, contact the USDA at 202-720-2791 or visit www.fsis.usda.gov.
General Food Safety Guidelines
Refrigerator
Keep refrigerator doors closed. Refrigerated food should be safe for about four hours. But milk, dairy products, eggs, meats and all cooked foods spoil quickly. Discard these foods if the temperature in the refrigerator rises above 40 degrees for two hours or more. When in doubt, throw the food out.
Freezer
Keep the freezer doors closed. Food in a full, free-standing freezer will stay at freezing temperatures for about 48 hours without power, a half-full freezer will stay frozen for about 24 hours. If a freezer is not full, move packages together to insulate them and keep them as cold as possible.
Frozen foods that have partially or completely thawed before power is restored may be refrozen safely if there are still ice crystals or the food's temperature is 40 degrees or below.
Don't taste food that has an odd color or smell. When in doubt, throw the food out. Also, if it isn't safe for you, it isn't safe for your pet.
Refrigerator Foods: When to Save and When to Throw Away
The following information is reprinted from the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.
General Rule: As long as the power has been out less than 2 hours, all food will be safe.
| Type of Food |
Held above 40 Degrees FAHRENHEIT for more than 2 hours |
| Meat, Poultry, & Seafood |
|
| Fresh or leftover meat poultry, fish or seafood |
Discard |
| Thawing meat or poultry |
Discard |
| Meat, tuna, shrimp, chicken or egg salad |
Discard |
| Gravy, stuffing |
Discard |
| Lunchmeats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, dried beef |
Discard |
| Pizza - with any topping |
Discard |
| Canned hams labeled "Keep Refrigerated" |
Discard |
| Canned meats, opened |
Discard |
| Cheese |
|
| Soft cheeses, blue/bleu, Roquefort, brie, Camembert, Colby, cottage, cream, Edam, Monterey Jack,
ricotta, mozzarella, Munster, Neufchatel |
Discard |
| Hard cheeses, Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, Romano |
Safe |
| Processed cheeses |
Safe |
| Shredded cheeses |
Discard |
| Low-fat cheeses |
Discard |
| Grated Parmesan, Romano, or combined (in can or jar) |
Safe |
| Dairy |
|
| Milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, evaporated milk, yogurt |
Discard |
| Butter, Margarine |
Safe |
| Baby formula, opened |
Safe |
| Eggs |
|
| Fresh eggs, hard-cooked in shell, egg dishes, egg products |
Discard |
| Custards and puddings |
Discard |
| Casseroles, Soups, Stews |
Discard |
| Fruits |
|
| Fresh fruits, cut |
Discard |
| Fruit juices, opened |
Safe |
| Canned fruits, opened |
Safe |
| Fresh fruits, coconut, raisins, dried fruits, candied fruits, dates |
Safe |
| Sauces, Spreads, Jams |
|
| Jelly, relish, taco, barbecue & soy sauce, mustard, catsup, olives |
Safe |
| White wine Worcestershire sauce |
Discard |
| Fish sauces (oyster) |
Discard |
| Hoisin sauce |
Discard |
| Opened vinegar-based dressing |
Safe |
| Opened creamy-based dressings |
Discard |
| Spaghetti sauce, opened jar |
Discard |
| Bread, Cakes, Cookies, Pasta |
|
| Bread, rolls, cakes, muffins, quick breads |
Safe |
| Refrigerator biscuits, rolls, cookies dough |
Discard |
| Cooked pasta, spaghetti |
Discard |
| Pasta salads with mayonnaise or vinaigrette |
Discard |
| Fresh Pasta |
Discard |
| Cheesecake |
Discard |
| Breakfast foods – waffles, pancakes, bagels |
Safe |
| Pies, Pastry |
|
| Pastries, cream filled |
Discard |
| Pies - custard, cheese-filled, chiffon |
Discard |
| Pies, fruit |
Safe |
| Vegetables |
|
| Fresh mushrooms, herbs, spices |
Safe |
| Greens, pre-cut, pre-washed, packages |
Discard |
| Vegetables, raw |
Safe |
| Vegetables, cooked |
Discard |
| Baked potatoes |
Discard |
| Commercial garlic in oil |
Discard |
| Potato Salad |
Discard |