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Sudden power outages can be frustrating and troublesome, especially when they are prolonged. Here are a few tips to make sure your food and water are safe during the extended power outages associated with hurricanes and tropical storms.
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Food Safety in a Power Outage
Perishable foods should not be held above 40 degrees for more than 2 hours. If a power outage is 2 hours or less, you need not be concerned, but how do you save your food when the refrigerator is out for longer times? Being prepared can help. By planning ahead, you can save your perishables.
What do I need?
- One or more coolers. Inexpensive styrofoam coolers can do an excellent job as well.
- Shelf-stable foods, such as canned goods and powdered or boxed milk. These can be eaten cold or heated on the grill.
- A digital quick-response thermometer. A digital thermometer should be a necessity in your kitchen anyway. With these thermometers you can quickly check the internal temperatures of food for doneness and safety.
What to do...
- Do not open the refrigerator or freezer. Tell your little ones not to open the door. An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold enough for a couple of hours at least. A freezer that is half full will hold for up to 24 hours and a full freezer for 48 hours.
- If it looks like the power outage will be for more than 2-4 hours, pack refrigerated milk, dairy products, meats, fish, poultry, eggs, gravy, stuffing and left-overs into your cooler surrounded by ice.
- If it looks like the power outage will be prolonged, prepare a cooler with ice for your freezer items
Q’s and A’s
What should be discarded after a power outage?
As soon as the power returns, check temperatures. If the food in the freezer has ice crystals and is not above 40 degrees you can refreeze. Perishable foods in the refrigerator should not be above 40 degrees F. for more than two hours. Use the "Frozen Food" and "Refrigerator Foods" charts below to see what has to be discarded and what can be kept.
What if I go to bed and the power is still not on?
Before you go to bed, pack your perishables into your coolers if you haven't already done so and put in as much ice as you can. Also, when you go to bed, leave a bedroom light switched on. When the power goes back on, it will wake you, so you can check the condition of your foods in the freezer.
What if the power goes out while I’m at work or out of the house and it has been more than a few hours before I get home?
Try to determine how long the power has been out. Check the internal temperature of the food in your refrigerator with your quick-response thermometer. A liquid such as milk or juice is easy to check. Spot check other items like steaks or left-overs also. If the internal temperature is above 40 degrees, it is best to throw it out.
What if the power goes out and comes back on while I am out?
If your freezer is fairly full and you know it was not longer than 24 hours, the food should be OK. There will be loss of quality with refreezing, but the food will be safe. If the refrigerator was out for more than 2-4 hours, you are best to discard the perishables.
Prepared by Giant Food, Inc.,
Landover
,
Maryland
, June 1999. Original content adapted from "Help, Power Outage!" Food News for Consumers, Summer 1989,
U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service. ARC 1098 September 1999
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Frozen Foods
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Meat and Mixed Dishes:
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Still Contains Ice
Crystals
. Not Above 40° F
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Thawed, Held Above 40° F For Over 2 Hours
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Beef, veal, lamb, pork, poultry, ground meat and poultry
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Refreeze
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Discard
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Casseroles with meat, pasta, rice, egg or cheese base, stews, soups, convenience foods, pizza
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Refreeze
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Discard
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Fish, shellfish, breaded seafood products
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Refreeze
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Discard
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Dairy:
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Still Contains Ice
Crystals
. Not Above 40° F
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Thawed, Held Above 40° F For Over 2 Hours
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Milk
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Refreeze
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Discard
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Eggs (out of shell) egg products
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Refreeze
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Discard
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Ice cream, frozen yogurt
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Discard
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Discard
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Cheese (soft and semi soft) cream cheese ricotta
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Refreeze
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Discard
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Hard cheese (cheddar Swiss parmesan)
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Refreeze
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Refreeze
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Fruits and Vegetables:
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Still Contains Ice
Crystals
. Not Above 40° F
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Thawed, Held Above 40° F For Over 2 Hours
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Fruit Juices
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Refreeze
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Refreeze. Discard if mold, yeasty smell or sliminess develops.
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Home or commercially packaged fruit
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Refreeze
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Refreeze. Discard if mold, yeasty smell or sliminess develops.
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Vegetable Juices
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Refreeze
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Discard if above 50° for over 8 hours.
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Home or commercially packaged or blanched vegetables
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Refreeze
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Discard if above 50° for over 8 hours.
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Baked Goods Baking Ingredients:
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Still Contains Ice
Crystals
. Not Above 40° F
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Thawed, Held Above 40° F For Over 2 Hours
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Fruit Juices
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Refreeze
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Refreeze
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Flour, cornmeal, nuts
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Refreeze
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Refreeze
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Pie Crusts, Breads, rolls, muffins, cakes (no custard fillings)
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Refreeze
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Discard if above 50° for over 8 hours.
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Cakes, pies, pastries with custard or cheese filling, cheesecake
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Refreeze
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Discard
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Commercial and homemade bread dough
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Refreeze
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Refreeze
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Refrigerator Foods
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Dairy/Eggs/Cheese:
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Food Still Cold, Held At 40° F Or Above Under 2 Hours
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Held Above 40° F For Over 2 Hours
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Milk, cream, sour cream buttermilk evaporated milk yogurt
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Keep
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Discard
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Butter, margarine
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Keep
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Keep
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Baby Formula, opened
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Keep
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Discard
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Eggs, egg dishes, custards puddings
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Keep
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Discard
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Hard & processed cheeses
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Keep
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Keep
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Soft cheeses, cottage cheese
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Keep
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Discard
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Fruits & Vegetables:
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Food Still Cold, Held At 40° F Or Above Under 2 Hours
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Held Above 40° F For Over 2 Hours
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Fruit juices, opened; Canned fruits, opened; Fresh fruits
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Keep
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Keep
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Vegetables, cooked; Vegetable juice opened
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Keep
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Discard after 6 hours
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Baked potatoes
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Keep
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Discard
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Fresh mushrooms, herbs spices
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Keep
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Keep
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Garlic, chopped in oil or buffer
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Keep
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Discard
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Meat, Poultry, Seafood:
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Food Still Cold, Held At 40° F Or Above Under 2 Hours
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Held Above 40° F For Over 2 Hours
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Fresh or leftover meat, poultry, fish, or seafood
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Keep
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Discard
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Lunchmeats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, dried beef
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Keep
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Discard
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Canned meats NOT labeled "Keep Refrigerated" but refrigerated after opening
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Keep
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Discard
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Canned hams labeled "Keep Refrigerated"
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Keep
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Discard
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Mixed Dishes, Side Dishes:
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Food Still Cold, Held At 40° F Or Above Under 2 Hours
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Held Above 40° F For Over 2 Hours
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Casseroles, soups, stews, pizza with meat
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Keep
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Discard
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Meat, tuna, shrimp, chicken, or egg salad
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Keep
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Discard
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Cooked pasta Pasta salads with mayonnaise or vinegar base
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Keep
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Discard
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Gravy stuffing
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Keep
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Discard
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Pies, Breads:
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Food Still Cold, Held At 40° F Or Above Under 2 Hours
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Held Above 40° F For Over 2 Hours
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Cream or cheese filled pastries and pies
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Keep
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Discard
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Fruit pies
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Keep
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Keep
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Breads, rolls, cakes, muffins, quick breads
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Keep
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Keep
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Refrigerator biscuits, rolls, cookie dough
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Keep
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Discard
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Sauces, Spreads, Jams:
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Food Still Cold, Held At 40° F Or Above Under 2 Hours
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Held Above 40° F For Over 2 Hours
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Mayonnaise, tartar sauce, horseradish
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Keep
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Discard
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Opened salad dressing, jelly, relish, taco and barbeque sauce, mustard, catsup olives
|
Keep
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Keep
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Prepared by Giant Food, Inc.,
Landover
,
Maryland
, June 1999. Original content adapted from "Help, Power Outage!" Food News for Consumers, Summer 1989,
U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service. ARC 1098 September 1999
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Water Treatment
Often, when water treatment facilities are compromised by the storm, residents are warned not to drink the water coming from their plumbing, as doing so could cause severe health problems. Residents are then placed on a “boil water notice” for an indefinite period of time until officials can flush the water system and make sure it is safe to drink.
In addition to having a bad odor, and taste, water from questionable sources may be contaminated by a variety of microorganisms, including bacteria and parasites that cause diseases such as dysentery, cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis. All water of uncertain purity should be treated before use.
To treat water, follow these steps:
- Filter the water using a piece of cloth or coffee filter to remove solid particles.
- Bring it to a rolling boil for about one full minute.
- Let it cool at least 30 minutes. Water must be cool or the chlorine treatment described below will be useless.
- Add 16 drop of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water, or 8 drops per 2-liter bottle of water. Stir to mix. Sodium hypochlorite of the concentration of 5.25% to 6% should be the only active ingredient in the bleach. There should not be any added soap or fragrances. A major bleach manufacturer has also added Sodium Hydroxide as an active ingredient, which they state does not pose a health risk for water treatment.
- Let stand 30 minutes.
- If it smells of chlorine, you can use it. If it does not smell of chlorine, add 16 more drop of chlorine bleach per gallon of water (or 8 drops per 2-liter bottle of water), let stand 30 minutes, and smell it again. If it smells of chlorine, you can use it. If it does not smell of chlorine, discard it and find another source of water.
If local public health department information differs from this advice, the local information should prevail.
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