Did you know that a flood, fire, national disaster or the loss of power from high winds, snow or ice could jeopardize the safety of your food? Knowing how to determine if food is safe and how to keep food safe will help minimize the potential loss of food and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
Always keep meat, poultry, fish and eggs refrigerated at or below 40 ºF and frozen food at or below 0 ºF. This may be difficult when the power is out.
Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. Obtain dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic foot full freezer for 2 days. Plan ahead and know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased.
Safe food kit
Be prepared for an emergency by having items on hand that don’t require refrigeration and can be eaten cold or heated on the outdoor grill. Shelf-stable food, boxed or canned milk, water and canned goods should be part of a planned emergency food supply. Make sure you have ready-to-use baby formula for infants and pet food. Remember to use these items and replace them from time to time. Be sure to keep a hand-held can opener for an emergency.Consider what you can do ahead of time to store your food safely in an emergency. If you live in a location that could be affected by a flood, plan your food storage on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water. Coolers are a great help for keeping food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours — have a couple on hand along with frozen gel packs. When your freezer is not full, keep items close together — this helps the food stay cold longer.
Digital, dial or instant-read food thermometers and appliance thermometers will help you know if the food is at safe temperatures. Keep appliance thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer at all times. When the power is out, an appliance thermometer will always indicate the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer no matter how long the power has been out. The refrigerator temperature should be 40 ºF or below; the freezer, 0 ºF or lower. If you’re not sure a particular food is cold enough, take its temperature with a food thermometer.
Refrigerator Foods |
When to Save and When to Throw It Out | |
---|---|
FOOD | Held above 40 ºF for over 2 hours |
MEAT, POULTRY, SEAFOOD Raw or leftover cooked meat, poultry, fish, or seafood; soy meat substitutes | Discard |
Thawing meat or poultry | Discard |
Meat, tuna, shrimp,chicken, or egg salad | Discard |
Gravy, stuffing, broth | Discard |
Lunchmeats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, dried beef | Discard |
Pizza – with any topping | Discard |
Canned hams labeled "Keep Refrigerated" | Discard |
Canned meats and fish, opened | Discard |
CHEESE Soft Cheeses: blue/bleu, Roquefort, Brie, Camembert, cottage, cream, Edam, Monterey Jack, ricotta, mozzarella, Muenster, Neufchatel, Queso blanco fresco | Discard |
Hard Cheeses: Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, provolone, Romano | Safe |
Processed Cheeses | Safe |
Shredded Cheeses | Discard |
Low-fat Cheeses | Discard |
Grated Parmesan, Romano, or combination (in can or jar) | Safe |
DAIRY Milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, evaporated milk, yogurt, eggnog, soy milk | Discard |
Butter, margarine | Safe |
Baby formula, opened | Discard |
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 Opened mayonnaise, tartar sauce, horseradish | Discard if above 50 °F for over 8 hrs. |
Peanut butter | Safe |
Jelly, relish, taco sauce, mustard, catsup, olives, pickles | Safe |
Worcestershire, soy, barbecue | Safe |
Fish sauces (oyster sauce) | Discard |
Opened vinegar-based dressings | Safe |
Opened creamy-based dressings | Discard |
Spaghetti sauce, opened jar | Discard |
BREAD, CAKES, COOKIES,PASTA, GRAINS Bread, rolls, cakes, muffins, quick breads, tortillas | Safe |
Refrigerator biscuits,rolls, cookie dough | Discard |
Cooked pasta, rice, potatoes | 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, or chiffon; quiche | Discard |
Pies, fruit | Safe |
VEGETABLES Fresh mushrooms, herbs, spices | Safe |
Greens, pre-cut, pre-washed, packaged | Discard |
Vegetables, raw | Safe |
Vegetables, cooked; tofu | Discard |
Vegetable juice, opened | Discard |
Baked potatoes | Discard |
Commercial garlic in oil | Discard |
Potato Salad | Discard |
Frozen Food |
When to Save and When To Throw It Out | ||
---|---|---|
FOOD | Still contains ice crystals and feels as cold as if refrigerated | Thawed. Held above 40 ºF for over 2 hours |
MEAT, POULTRY, SEAFOOD Beef, veal, lamb, pork, and ground meats | Refreeze | Discard |
Poultry and ground poultry | Refreeze | Discard |
Variety meats (liver,kidney, heart, chitterlings) | Refreeze | Discard |
Casseroles, stews, soups | Refreeze | Discard |
Fish, shellfish, breaded seafood products | Refreeze. However, there will be some texture and flavor loss. | Discard |
DAIRY Milk | Refreeze. May lose some texture. | Discard |
Eggs (out of shell) and egg products | Refreeze | Discard |
Ice cream, frozen yogurt | Discard | Discard |
Cheese (soft and semi-soft) | Refreeze. May lose some texture. | Discard |
Hard cheeses | Refreeze | Refreeze |
Shredded cheeses | Refreeze | Discard |
Casseroles containing milk, cream, eggs, soft cheeses | Refreeze | Discard |
Cheesecake | Refreeze | Discard |
FRUITS Juices | Refreeze | Refreeze. Discard if mold, yeasty smell, or sliminess develops. |
Home or commercially packaged | Refreeze. Will change texture and flavor. | Refreeze. Discard if mold, yeasty smell, or sliminess develops. |
VEGETABLES Juices | Refreeze | Discard after held above 40 ºF for 6 hours. |
Home or commercially packaged or blanched | Refreeze. May suffer texture and flavor loss. | Discard after held above 40 ºF for 6 hours. |
BREADS, PASTRIES Breads, rolls, muffins, cakes (without custard fillings) | Refreeze | Refreeze |
Cakes, pies, pastries with custard or cheese filling | Refreeze | Discard |
Pie crusts, commercial and homemade bread dough | Refreeze. Some quality loss may occur. | Refreeze. Quality loss is considerable. |
OTHER Casseroles – pasta, rice based | Refreeze | Discard |
Flour, cornmeal, nuts | Refreeze | Refreeze |
Breakfast items –waffles, pancakes, bagels | Refreeze | Refreeze |
Frozen meal, entree, specialty items (pizza, sausage and biscuit, meat pie,convenience foods) | Refreeze | Discard |