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Following is a tip sheet to help you know when you can save food and when you need to throw it away after a power outage.<\/p>\n Is food in the refrigerator safe during a power outage? It should be safe as long as power is out no more than 4 hours<\/strong>. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers) that have been above 40 \u00b0F for over 2 hours.<\/p>\n Never taste food to determine its safety!<\/strong> You can\u2019t rely on appearance or odor to determine whether food is safe.<\/p>\n Note: Always discard any items in the refrigerator that have come into contact with raw meat juices. You will have to evaluate each item separately. Use this chart as a guide.<\/em><\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to take my quick weekly quiz and claim your reward! Act now before they are all gone!!<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"cleaning](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/03c4283.netsolhost.com\/member\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/cleaning-out-fridge.jpg\")
<\/a>We live in New England and the winter season is fast approaching . . . that means snow storms, ice storms, and the like! Unfortunately we usually experience a power outage or two during the winter.\u00a0 I heard recently that during the Hurricane Katrina disaster, much of the Gulf Coast region lost power for weeks.\u00a0 Many of the residents were unable to return to their homes for a month or more.\u00a0 When they returned, they found their refrigerators filled with decomposing food. This food was so toxic, it melted plastic and dissolved rubber refrigerator lines. Residents had to tape their doors shut and carry the refrigerators out of their homes. The EPA assisted with the disposal of hundreds of thousands of appliances.<\/p>\n<\/a>Adapted from Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency (USDA).<\/em><\/p>\n