HOME & AG: How to keep food safe during power outage

Mar. 2—Sunday night's tornado-producing storm left many Cleveland County residents in the dark, which prompted the Cleveland County Oklahoma State University Extension Office to educate folks on how to preserve their food when there is no power.

The peak month for tornadoes in Oklahoma is May, closely followed by April and June, but they can happen any month of the year, according to the National Weather Center website.

As Oklahoma approaches tornado season, Christi Evans, family and consumer sciences educator, wants locals to be prepared in the event of a power outage.

"If your home experiences a power outage, it's important to keep your food safe," Evans said. "One thing to do before a power outage is to purchase an appliance thermometer to keep in both the refrigerator and freezer to ensure they are working properly at the correct temperatures."

She said the ideal refrigerator temperature is 40 degrees or below, and freezers should be set to 0 degrees or below.

"Knowing and monitoring the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer will help determine if food is safe after the power goes out," she said.

By following a couple of tips, anyone with a functioning refrigerator can increase the likelihood of preserving their food during a power outage.

Evans recommends that people keep their refrigerator and freezer doors shut to maintain the cold temperatures inside.

"A refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours if the door is kept closed," she said. "If the power is out for more than four hours, refrigerated foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, soft cheese, potato salad, cooked beans, cooked rice, cooked potatoes, cooked pasta and other leftovers should be discarded."

She said food should stay safe for up to 48 hours in a full freezer or 24 hours if the freezer is half-full if the door is kept closed.

"If you have an appliance thermometer in the freezer, check the temperature," Evans said. "If the food is at 40 degrees or below or has ice crystals, you can safely refreeze or cook the thawed food. Each food item should be checked separately, and any food that has an unusual odor, color or texture should be discarded. Never taste food to determine if it is safe."

She said it is important to take inventory of what foods are more susceptible to spoilage. For example, consumers can move raw meat from the refrigerator to the freezer, especially if they have some notice before a potential power outage.

As freezers keep items colder for longer when they are full, she said people can fill them with bottles of water that will turn into ice.

"Keep coolers, ice packs and ice cubes available which can be used later to help keep foods cold," she said. "Make your own ice containers by repurposing emptied water or milk containers by filling them with water and freezing them. Keep these stored in the freezer to fill empty space in the freezer which will keep foods safe longer during a power outage, or they can be used in coolers to keep foods cold."

Evans said food should be discarded if it is exposed to temperatures above 40 degrees for more than two hours. If temperatures rise above 90 degrees, food should be discarded after one hour.

"Additionally, it is important to always wash your hands before handling food and to cook foods such as meat, poultry, fish and eggs to a safe minimum temperature to help ensure food safety," she said.