How long can food be in fridge without power

By Faye Prosser, WRAL Smart Shopper

After the storm Friday night, many homes in and around the Triangle area were left without power. This also means that the food in the fridge and freezer was at risk of spoiling.

It's important to know how long you have after a power outage starts before food is no longer safe to eat.

According to FoodSafety.gov, "your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers after 4 hours without power."

Fortunately, food in the freezer lasts longer than items in the refrigerator. "A full freezer will hold a safe temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full and the door remains closed). Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F or below, however, its quality may suffer," the FoodSafety article also indicates.

Keys to keeping food safe for a longer period of time during an outage:

* Keep frozen bottles of water in the freezer to fill it up. A full freezer will keep food at a safe temperature for twice as long as a half full freezer. As you can see in the photo below, used tea bottles were filled with water and frozen to help fill this freezer and keep it cool during outages.

* Do not open the doors to the refrigerator or freezer during the outage, if possible.

* During a lengthy outage, buy bags of ice to keep the refrigerator and freezer as cold as possible.

* Place appliance thermometers in your refrigerator and freezer so you can check the temperature once the power comes back on and determine if the food is still safe to consume.

After the power has come back on, "if the freezer thermometer reads 40° F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, milk, eggs, or leftovers) that has been at refrigerator temperatures above 40°F for 4 hours or more. Perishable foods with temperatures that are 45°F or below (measured with a food thermometer) should be safe, but should be cooked and consumed as soon as possible", according to the FDA.

See the FDA website for additional information on preparing for power outages and for determining food safety once power is restored.

See a list of specific foods, and when they need to be discarded after an outage, at FoodSafety.gov.

During and after a prolonged power failure, the foods you keep in the refrigerator and freezer may become unsafe to eat. Bacteria can build up in perishable foods which may cause foodborne illness. The most common symptoms of foodborne illness may include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever. While the power is out, keep the freezer and refrigerator doors closed-avoid opening and closing the doors to check the food inside. Food will keep for 24 to 48 hours in the freezer and for 12 to 24 hours in the fridge.

If your power has been out for 24 hours, all food in your refrigerator must be disposed of; after 48 hours, all food in both your refrigerator and freezer must be thrown out and the appliance cleaned and sanitized.

Here is some advice to help in making sure your food is stored safely if the power goes out:

Your freezer:

• Without electrical power, a full upright or chest freezer will keep food frozen for about 2 days.
• A half-full freezer will keep food frozen for 1 day.
• Ice could help to keep the freezer remain cold.
• Throw out any thawed food that has been sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
• Partial thawing and refreezing may reduce the quality of some food, but it will remain safe to eat.

Your refrigerator-freezer combination:

• Without electrical power, the refrigerator section will keep food cool for 4-6 hours. Ice could help to keep refrigerator cool.
• Throw out any food with a strange colour or odour as soon as possible.
• Make sure raw meat, poultry or fish are wrapped very well and placed in the coldest section of your refrigerator.

Your medication:

• If you need information on proper storage of your prescription drugs that require refrigeration, such as insulin, call your doctor or local pharmacist.

If you need information on proper storage of your prescription drugs that require refrigeration, such as insulin, call your doctor or local pharmacist.

This information is also available for downloading.

For more information: Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care

WHEN SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT...

When your power goes out, your first thought is likely regarding how bored you're about to be without internet. Your next thought is probably about how hot or cold you're going to be without A/C or heat.

But, once your stomach starts growling, you'll remember that a power outage also means that the perishable foods in your fridge and freezer are officially on the clock.

We all know why we own refrigerators and freezers — cold temperatures are needed to keep many foods safe and fresh. But how long is too long for your perishable foods to be at temperatures higher than usual?

How long can food last in a refrigerator or freezer without power?

To prevent the growth of microorganisms that cause food-borne illness, your refrigerator temperature should be set to less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer temperature to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Without power, however, these temperatures will inevitably start to climb over time — potentially reaching temperatures that affect the safety of your food.

First thing's first: To help keep your appliances as cool as possible, avoid opening your refrigerator or freezer if your power goes out.

During a power outage, perishable food will stay safe:

• In a refrigerator for up to 4 hours
• In a half-full freezer for 24 hours
• In a full freezer for 48 hours

If power is restored within these respective time frames, your food is likely safe. However, you should still throw out any food that has developed an unusual odor, color or texture.

Importantly, the time frames above apply only if you kept the refrigerator and freezer doors closed. If you opened the doors — especially if you did so more than once — these guidelines are no longer relevant.

Which food items should you throw away after a power outage?

When a power outage lasts longer than four hours, perishable foods in your refrigerator should be thrown out to prevent the chances of developing a food-borne illness.

And — this may go without saying, but we'll say it just in case — never taste food as a way of determining if it's still safe to eat. Instead, know what's perishable and what's not so you can decide what's safe to keep and what needs to be tossed.

Perishable foods in your refrigerator that you should throw out after losing power for more than four hours include:

• Meat, poultry, fish, seafood and soy-based foods (raw or cooked)
• Eggs and egg-based foods
• Cooked or cut vegetables
• Packaged greens
• Cut fruits
• Cooked rice or pasta
• Opened fruit or vegetable juices
• Dairy products, including milk, cream, yogurt, sour cream and soy milk
• Opened baby formula
• Soft cheeses (mozzarella, ricotta, cream, blue, cottage, queso fresca, Monterey Jack, brie and shredded cheese)
• Creamy salad dressings, gravy, cream-filled pastries, custard
• Dough or batter
• Leftovers or packaged foods containing any of the above items
• Mayonnaise, tartar sauce and horseradish (**if above 50 degrees Fahrenheit for more than eight hours)

You should also throw out any food contaminated by juices dripping from raw meat or seafood, as well as any food items that have developed an unusual odor, color or texture.

If a power outage extends through an entire day (if your freezer is only half full) or two days (if your freezer is completely full), it's time to check the food items in your freezer.

Common items found in a freezer that are considered perishable include:

• Any of the above items that you store long-term in your freezer
• Frozen pizzas, TV dinners, or breakfast sandwiches or tacos containing sausage or bacon
• Ice cream
• Custard or cream-based desserts, such as cheesecake

If your freezer maintained a temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, perishable items are safe to eat and/or refreeze. If you don't know the temperature of your freezer, throw away any of the perishable items above that have thawed completely. You can safely refreeze a perishable item that has thawed if, and only if, it still contains ice crystals — the quality and taste of these items may be reduced, however.

Which food items are safe to keep after a power outage?

Just because your fridge or freezer lost power for an extended period of time doesn't mean everything inside of it needs to be tossed for food safety reasons.

For instance, it's safe to keep condiments and food items that have a high acid content, such as:

• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Pickles and relish
• Olives
• Jelly
• Vinegar-based salad dressings

Just keep in mind that these items may spoil sooner than they otherwise would have, so be sure to give these a sniff before using.

Additionally, some foods commonly stored in the refrigerator don't actually require refrigeration (meaning they're still safe to eat), including:

• Whole fruits
• Whole vegetables
• Baked goods (unless they have a cream-based icing, topping or filling)
• Hard cheeses (cheddar, swiss, parmesan, romano)
• Butter and margarine
• Peanut butter
• Herbs

However, if any of these items have developed an odd smell or turned moldy, throw them out.

And if you run into some question marks while cleaning out your fridge and freezer after a power outage, follow this general rule of thumb: When in doubt, throw it out.

Food preservation tips for when you know a power outage might be a possibility

Sometimes, the power goes out without warning and all you can do is avoid opening your refrigerator and freezer and hope the power comes back on before your perishable foods, well, perish.

Other times, such as before a hurricane or winter storm, you know losing power is a possibility.

In these cases, plan ahead to help keep perishable food cold using these tips:

Have plenty of non-perishable foods on hand. This will help ensure that you don't need to open your refrigerator or freezer during the power outage.

Keep a thermometer in both your refrigerator and freezer. Perishable items should remain safe in your refrigerator for four hours, in a half-full freezer for 24 hours and in a full freezer for 48 hours, but these guidelines are estimates. Moreover, they become less trustworthy if you open your fridge or freezer. The most accurate way of knowing if your food is safe after a power outage is to use an appliance thermometer as your guide.

Fill up your freezer. A full freezer can hold a safe temperature twice as long as one that's only half full. Consider filling empty space in your freezer with perishable items from your refrigerator, which will also help extend the length of time these foods remain safe, as compared to being in a refrigerator without power. You can also fill your freezer with jugs of water or bags of ice.

Have a cooler and plenty of ice ready. If the power doesn't come back on after four hours, move perishable items in your refrigerator to an insulated cooler packed with plenty of ice. Use a thermometer to ensure the cooler stays below 40 degree Fahrenheit and add ice as needed.