How Long Will Food Last In The Fridge Without Power?

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We all know that scary moment when the power goes out, followed by the realization that all the food in the fridge could be your destination. Groceries are getting more and more expensive, so if the power goes out, you'll want to save as much food as possible, whether it's the milk and eggs you just bought or the frozen chicken you bought in bulk. But of course it is still important to maintain food safety and prevent food poisoning. But how long does food last in a refrigerator without electricity?

This issue is becoming increasingly important. The Department of Energy recently found that weather-related power outages in the United States have increased by 67% since 2000. Severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, and monsoons in summer, blizzards, and power lines Winter weather strains the power grid us and can cause a power outage. comfortable at best... and off at worst.

Therefore, it is necessary to be informed and prepared as best as possible. Read on to learn how long food can be stored in the refrigerator without electricity, regardless of shelf life, and why saving shelf life and organizing your fridge properly is also so important.

How to Prepare Your Refrigerator for a Power Outage

As Benjamin Franklin once said, an ounce of preparation is indeed worth a pound of healing. Learning how to prepare for hurricane season is good practice, and if you know bad weather is coming, the CDC recommends storing ice or making your own by freezing a container of water. Lastly, putting them in your fridge and freezer will help extend the time your fridge stays cold without power. Also, pre-fill the cooler with ice and ice packs, just need to move the food around the cooler.

It is also very important to prepare your own refrigerator and freezer. Do not store milk and eggs near the refrigerator door, where the temperature will change. Instead, store them on a shelf at a more stable temperature. Store thermometers in the fridge and freezer as well. After all, you won't be able to read the device's temperature reading which is usually harmless in the event of a power outage. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) states that for proper food storage, the appropriate refrigerator temperature must be 40 degrees or less, and the freezer temperature must be 0 degrees or less.

Finally, stock up on non-perishable foods such as canned tuna, dried beans, peanut butter, pasta and nuts, as well as a container of water, so you don't have to open the fridge when you or your family are hungry. For information, you should also pay attention to the expiration date of bottled drinking water.

How long does food last without electricity?

Whether or not you are prepared for a power outage, the question remains. how long can food last in the fridge without electricity? According to the CDC, as long as food is kept at the right temperature, it can be frozen for up to four hours if you don't open the refrigerator (more on that later). How long food stays in a refrigerator without electricity depends on how full it is, because the more frozen, the better it manages to cool and the less it melts. In general, a good rule of thumb is 48 hours in a full fridge without electricity, or 24 hours in a half full fridge.

Temperature matters here because perishable foods can destroy or grow disease-causing bacteria like E. coli or salmonella faster than you might think. According to FSIS, “Bacteria grow most rapidly in the 'danger zone' temperature range of 40°F to 140°F, with some doubling in as little as 20 minutes. A refrigerator at 40°F or lower will protect most foods. .

Do some foods last longer than others?

Yes, according to FoodSafety.gov, how long you can keep food in the refrigerator without electricity depends on the food itself. While fresh eggs in their shells usually keep for three to five weeks in the refrigerator, and even expired eggs last longer than the recommended date, storing them above 40 degrees for more than two hours can be dangerous. harmful bacteria. The same goes for milk, but the shelf life of milk can be extended by placing it in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Raw meat should be packaged properly, especially in the freezer, to prevent leakage and cross-contamination during thawing, and even with cooked meat, it is important to follow meat storage guidelines.

As for the cheese, chunks of hard cheese like cheddar and parmesan are great at dusk, and you can cut moldy chunks and eat the rest of the cheese. Soft cheeses such as mozzarella, ricotta or cream cheese are more susceptible to bacteria and have a shorter shelf life above 40 degrees Celsius.

Fortunately, vegetables and fruit (unless they are chopped), as well as highly acidic foods such as non-dairy sauces, pickles, jellies, or jams, will do just fine at slightly higher temperatures.

Here's how to keep your fridge (and freezer) running without electricity

Once turned off, the biggest tip is to keep the door closed, even if it's tempting to open it. Refrigerators are made for insulation; Every time you open the refrigerator or freezer, cold air molecules enter, warm air molecules enter, and the temperature rises dramatically.

However, if you haven't set up your fridge beforehand, there are a few things you should do right away. "If your fridge doesn't fill up during a power outage, stock up immediately," says Barbara Brown, professor of nutrition at Oklahoma State University. That way, when it starts to melt, the juices don't drip onto the finished food." Be sure to close the fridge or freezer immediately after.

After the four-hour mark, refrigerate the ice you've made or start moving the food into the cooler to cool slightly before the power comes back on. While it may seem logical to put food outside during a blizzard, FSIS doesn't actually recommend doing so. Why? Outside temperatures can change and your food can be exposed to moisture and sunlight, other unhealthy conditions, and animals.

If after four hours the power is still not restored and the temperature of your fridge rises above 40 degrees, you can always light candles, throw mini parties and entertain while you still have food. safe to eat of course.

What to throw away after a power outage?

Now that we have answered how long food can be stored in the refrigerator without electricity, you may be wondering which foods are safe to eat after four hours. Some are still good and have room to move. The short answer is yes, some food can be saved. However, there are some general rules that you should follow, and you should also be aware of the signs that indicate a food is going bad.

The CDC recommends discarding perishable foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and soft cheeses after four hours without electricity. However, you can check each of these foods individually to see if the temperature is above 40 degrees.

If you're the kind of person who has to see it to believe it, check the eggs for slimy or dusty residue, or if the eggs have a sour or pungent odor when opened. It's easy to tell when milk has gone bad, but be sure to smell it before pouring it into your cereal or coffee. Plant-based milk spoils too, but it's harder to tell if your favorite oat or almond milk has gone bad just by the smell, so pour some into a separate container; Spoiled plant milk has a rough and uneven texture.

The most important thing. Don't taste. The CDC and FSIS don't recommend tasting food to see if it's gone bad. If you're still unsure, despite a sour smell, discoloration, or odd texture, "when in doubt, throw it away." You save more money by avoiding huge hospital bills than by trying to save on potentially spoiled food. While we're at it, never eat that expired food.

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Source:

• Climate Center. "Power outages. extreme weather and power outages"
• CDC: "Food security during power outages"
• FSIS. "Avoiding Foodborne Diseases During Power Outages"
• FSIS. "Food Refrigeration and Safety"
• Food Safety.gov. "Food security during power outages"
• Barbara Brown, food scientist and professor of food science at Oklahoma State University
• FSIS. "USDA Will Offer Food Safety Advice to Areas Affected by Winter Storm"

How long does food last in a refrigerator without electricity? It first appeared in Reader's Digest.

How to prevent food in the fridge from spoiling when the power goes out