Keep food safe in an emergency
When the power goes out, food will quickly spoil. Here’s how to be proactive.
Blackouts caused by extreme weather have drawn many people’s attention to the fragility of the power supply.
Among the issues caused by power outages is the threat to our health and safety.
The Food Safety Information Council chair, Dr Scott Crerar, said his organisation has been receiving more and more consumer inquiries about what to do with food during recent emergencies such as cyclones, floods, and bushfires.
“Our thoughts go out to those affected by recent natural disasters,” Dr Crerar said. “While we work with ABC Emergency to get food safety messaging out during emergencies, we really urge Australians to be prepared as these events are becoming more frequent.”
Here are our the council’s safety tips for when the power is out:
Check the time. If your power has gone out your food will remain safe in your refrigerator for two hours. If it is longer than two hours, but less than four hours, you should use the food immediately. If it has been more than four hours, throw the food out.
Don’t keep opening. Resist the temptation to open fridge or freezer doors during the power cut unless you have to remove food to eat. Check the temperature of the food with a thermometer after two hours, or place chilled items in the freezer.
Your freezer is your friend. Freezers that operate at minus 18°C or below can keep foods at safe temperatures for between one and two days. If the freezer door is kept shut, a full freezer can keep food chilled for up to 48 hours, while a half-full freezer can keep food chilled for 24 hours.
Coolers can help. Always keep frozen bricks or gel packs in your freezer to place in a cooler or Esky. Remove all meats, poultry, dairy, and potentially hazardous food (for example dips, pâté, ham, prepared and cooked food) from the fridge and place in a cooler with frozen bricks or gel packs evenly distributed.
Some foods are OK. Salted butter, margarine and hard cheeses such as cheddar will remain safe at room temperature, as are sweet or acidic items such as jams, sauces, soft drinks, spreads, pickles, and olives.
Don’t forget cooked food. Remember to throw out food that was being cooked when the power failed if cooking cannot be completed properly within two hours. If food is already properly cooked, eat it within two hours or throw it out.
“If you are unsure about the time that has passed or the temperature your food has been stored at then throwing the food out is the safest option,” Dr Crerar said.
“Re-cooking food will not eliminate the risk of foodborne illness as some bacteria produce a toxin, which is not destroyed at the temperature used to cook or reheat food.”
He urged people to download this useful poster about what to do with cold food when the power goes off.
