WVU Update
Fall 2015
Published as a Special Insert for Farm Bureau News
Maintaining food safety during a power outage
E
ach year thousands of West Virginians experience electrical power
loss for extended periods of time in their homes, businesses and
communities. In addition to being inconvenient, this particular
situation increases the chances of getting a food-borne illness.
Safeguarding your friends, family and community from foodborne illness during an extended power outage requires a
proactive three phase approach.
Prepare for the unexpected
There are a few simple things that
can be done to prepare your family for a
power outage. Already having appliance
thermometers in your refrigerator and
freezer allow for easy and accurate
temperature control monitoring of
foods. The United States Department
of Agriculture recommends that frozen
foods be kept at or below 0 degrees
Fahrenheit, while refrigerated items
should be kept at or below 40 degrees
Fahrenheit.
It is important to get into the practice of
properly storing food items. To decrease
the chances of a food-borne illness the
following guidelines are suggested:
• Place all ready-to-eat foods on the top
shelf in your refrigerator and freezer
units. Leftovers should be stored in
smaller, airtight containers above
seafood, eggs, meat and poultry.
• When packing food into your unit,
be sure to allow adequate space in
between foods to ensure that the
cool air circulates evenly around
food.
• Use the same guidelines for food
stored in the freezer unit. Once
foods are frozen, pack items
tightly together.
• It is recommended to keep ice
packs and filled ice trays prepared
in your freezer unit and to have
coolers on hand.
• It is important to know where you
can purchase dry ice in the event of
an outage. According to the Food and
Drug Administration, one 50-pound
block of dry ice will keep items cold
in an 18-cubic-foot fully stocked
freezer for up to two days. It is not
recommended to store food outside
during the winter, because outdoor
temperatures may fluctuate and
you could expose your food to pests
and animals.
Avoid the danger zone
During a power outage, it is
important to maintain a temperature
of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below
to ensure that food is safe to eat. To
accomplish this, keep your unit’s doors
closed as much as possible. Opening
and closing your refrigerator and
freezer during an outage allows
the cold air to escape, affecting the
inside temperature of the unit. Food
stored at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or
below can safely be stored for up to
four hours. If the temperature of th