Food safety during power outages

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - As snowstorms hit the Heartland, it’s important to know proper food safety in the event of a power outage.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during an outage. It’s important to keep the door closed as much as possible. After four hours without power returning, you should discard all perishable food, such as meat, eggs, and leftovers.

Never taste food to determine its safety. You will have to check each item individual to make sure it’s still safe to consume, but when questioning, it’s better to throw out the food than to risk food poisoning.

Most food should be discarded if held above 40 degree Fahrenheit for over 2 hours. However, the following food would have a better chance of being safe.

• Hard cheeses, such as Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, provolone, and Romano
• Processed cheeses
• Grated Parmesan or Romano kept in a can or a jar
• Butter/margarine
• Uncut fresh fruits
• Opened fruit juices
• Opened canned fruits
• Dried fruits, raisins, dates, and candied fruits
• Peanut butter
• Bread, rolls, cakes, muffins, quick breads, and tortillas
• Breakfast foods, such as waffles, pancakes, and bagels
• Fresh uncut vegetables
• Fresh mushrooms, herbs, and spices

For a more detailed list of which foods are safe after a power outage, you can visit this website.

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