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KEEPING FOODS SAFE
DURING AN EXTENDED POWER
OUTAGE
Sometime during the year, you may experience a loss of electrical power at
your home or business.
Keep these tips in mind to ensure the foods in your
refrigerator and freezers are safe to consume.
An extended power outage is one that lasts for 4 hours or longer.
- Always keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Cover the refrigerator
and freezer with blankets to keep the cold air inside.
- Always keep a thermometer inside the refrigerator and freezer compartments to
monitor the internal temperatures.
- Once the power is restored, take the temperature of the food in the
refrigerator and freezer. This can be done with a metal stem thermometer,
available at most hardware and retail stores. If foods are above 45 degrees,
they should be discarded.
- Foods that have defrosted in the freezer, but have remained under 45 degrees
may be refrozen, although they may deteriorate in quality.
- Be especially careful with any potentially hazardous foods (luncheon meats,
dairy products, eggs and egg products, defrosted meats, fish, etc) These foods
support the rapid growth of bacteria which may cause food-borne illness.
- Remember….NEVER use charcoal grills indoors for heating and cooking, and
never use a gas stove as a heat source. Both can lead to severe carbon monoxide
poisoning!
If you have any doubt concerning the safety of any food items,
discard them immediately. Remember………
WHEN IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT!
Educational material provided by the Connecticut Department of
Public Health and the Torrington Area Health District.
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