How Long Will Food Last in the Fridge if You Lose Power?
Here are guidelines from the USDA regarding the safety of food in a refrigerator without power.
With Hurricane Sandy predicted to hit the East Coast hard today, losing power is a threat even in Macomb County as the National Weather Service predicts wind gusts up to 50 mph Monday and Tuesday. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service prepared a fact sheet for keeping food safe during an emergency, including losing power. The USDA says to "keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature." But, the refrigerator will only keep food safely cold for about four hours if unopened during a power outage, according to the USDA. A full freezer will hold the temperature for about 48 hours if full (24 hours of half full), the USDA says. The USDA emphasizes "never to taste food to determine …
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Maximus Max
8:08 am on Tuesday, October 30, 2012
What if it doesn't come back on? For weeks...months even? How long could *your* family survive? more ›