How to keep your food safe in a power outage

Flicker, flicker – dark! The lights have gone off, and its time to search for the torch and the candles. Even though you can see by candlelight, there are other hidden dangers lurking in the dark that you cant see, like bacteria that will attack your food!

Anything could cause a power cut: a severe storm, load shedding or damage to the electric lines. And storing food safely can become quite a challenge. Here are the recommended steps to follow before and during a power outage.

Prepare Ahead of Time

- Appliance thermometers. Make sure you keep appliance thermometers in both the fridge and the freezer. This is the best way to make sure that your food is safe after the power goes out. Safe temperatures are 4°C or lower in the fridge and -17°C or lower in the freezer.

- Freeze water in plastic storage bags or small containers. These are small enough to fit in around food to keep food cold. Don’t fill them too full though, because the bags might split when the water freezes.

- Freeze refrigerated items such as leftovers, milk, fresh meat and poultry. This helps keep them at  a safe temperature for longer.

- Dry ice or block ice. Find out where you can get these ahead of time.

- Have coolers on hand to keep your food cold if the power will be out for more than four hours.

- Group food together in the freezer. This will help the food stay cold for longer. They will form a type of “igloo” to protect each other.

- Stock up on ready-to-eat foods. Be sure to have a few days of food that doesn’t require any cooking or cooling.

When the Power Goes Out

- Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. A fridge will keep your food cold for about 4 hours if the door is kept closed.

- A full freezer will hold its temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full)

When the Power Comes Back On

- Check the temperature inside your fridge and freezer. Discard any perishable foods such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs or leftovers that have been above 4°C for two hours or more.

- Check each item separately. Throw out any food that has an unusual colour, odour or texture.

- Never taste food to decide if it is safe.

- When in doubt – throw it out!

Keep these tips handy, so you can be sure that your food is safe during a power outage.

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