Save what you can, toss the rest
OLATHE, Kan. – Sometimes it seems the price we pay for milder spring weather is the occasional storm that sweeps across the Plains, leading to power outages.
When refrigerators and freezers lose electrical power, the refrigerated and frozen foods inside can become susceptible to foodborne contaminants in just a few hours.
Severe weather events like thunderstorms and tornadoes can bring down power lines in a neighborhood, or even entire grids of a city. When the power goes out, the clock starts ticking on the viability of meats, seafood, ice cream, cut produce and even leftover pizza.
According to the USDA, bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter can grow within minutes of food entering the “Danger Zone” ¬– the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees F. The insulation in freezers and refrigerators are your best allies during a power failure, as long as you don’t subvert them.
“Consumers should always be prepared for the reality that they may lose power when spring and summer storms are in their area,” said Londa Nwadike, a food safety specialist with K-State Research and Extension and the University of Missouri. “The wide-spread power outages during the February 2021 winter weather was a good reminder of that.”
A refrigerator in good working order can maintain its temperature for about four hours; a full reliable deep freezer can keep food frozen as long as 48 hours. Nwadike said there are small actions that can help stretch your advantage.
• Share space with friends – If you have nearby friends and neighbors that have extra space in their freezer, consolidating frozen foods is a great strategy. “A full freezer will maintain its temperature longer than a freezer that’s only half full,” Nwadike said.
• Keep ‘em shut! – Whatever you do, Nwadike cautions, don’t open the doors! “Don’t open them to peek in and check to see what the temperature is. Just leave them closed. Avoid that temptation!”
Refrigerator and freezer-rated thermometers are also a good permanent addition to your appliances. Nwadike says they’re inexpensive and will give you a reading the first time you open the appliance, after the power has been restored, and are important to use anytime.
After that, the question is simple: Keep it or toss it?
The USDA provides information detailing which foods are most vulnerable (meats, seafood, dairy, ice cream) and which are a bit more stable (whole fruits and vegetables, condiments, hard block cheese). When checking the freezer, Nwadike says ice can be a good indicator.
“If an item is still frozen solid, or if you can still feel ice crystals, that’s a good thing,” Nwadike said.
“But whatever you do, don’t taste something and think, ‘Well, if it tastes okay, it’s still good.’ Bacteria doesn’t always reveal itself that way.” The oft-repeated adage holds true: When in doubt, throw it out.
Some homeowner insurance providers will cover a certain amount of food loss that results from a power outage. Nwadike advises homeowners to check with their insurance providers to find out what is covered, and what kind of documentation will be required to make a claim.
Even if the loss of food creates a financial hardship, it pales in comparison to the risks of consuming unsafe, contaminated food. Some foodborne illnesses can result in a costly hospital stay, if not death itself.
For more information and helpful tips, visit the Prepare Kansas blog, dedicated to anticipating and preparing for disasters and the K-State Research and Extension Food Safety disasters website.
FOR PRINT PUBLICATIONS: Links used in this article
Prepare Kansas (blog), https://blogs.k-state.edu/preparekansas/
K-State Research and Extension Food Safety Disasters, https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/foodsafety/topics/disaster.html
K State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices, experiment fields, area extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit www.ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
For more information:
Londa Nwadike
[email protected]
Written by:
Randall Kowalik
[email protected]
