As winter storms sweep through our area, bringing the inevitable power blackouts, the Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management has issued practical advice to ensure the food in our refrigerators and freezers remains safe. In a recent social media post, they suggest residents freeze containers of water or gel packs to bolster the chill in their freezers during outages, advising that this, along with keeping items close together, can help maintain a proper temperature for a longer period.
An unopened freezer, if full, has the potential to keep its contents cold for up to 48 hours, while a half-full one might do the job for about 24 hours, moreover, a fridge will hold for up to 4 hours without power—the key is to avoid opening them too much, keeping the cold air in and the temperatures stable, this is crucial for food safety, especially during an unexpected power failure. For those looking for longer bouts of power loss, they might have to resort to coolers and ice to keep perishables at a safe temperature.
Bear in mind, any perishable item like meats, dairy, fish, eggs, and leftovers that have been at temperatures over 40 degrees Fahrenheit for more than two hours should be thrown out, as per the advice of the Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management. They further caution against the old sniff test, stating emphatically, "NEVER taste food to see if it is still good to consume; and when in doubt, THROW IT OUT!" – a mantra for food safety that's especially pertinent during storm seasons, where predictive and preventive measures are key.
