Helene to cause GA power outages. Here’s how long food in your fridge, freezer will be OK

Hurricane Helene could become a “once-in-a-generation storm” because of its “widespread power outages” and catastrophic flooding, according to AccuWeather. The hurricane is expected to batter Florida’s big bend as well as make its way inland to Georgia.

While you’ve probably been preparing for the storm by getting your home and family ready, the groceries you just paid for a few days ago may end up suffering because of possible power outages. Or will they?

Here’s what to know about how long the food in your fridge and freezer will last after an outage:

How long will food last in my fridge after a power outage?

Food in your refrigerator will be good for four hours after an outage, said the FDA. However, this is only true if the refrigerator doors have been closed the entire four hours.

After four hours, you should discard perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers. You should also never taste food to determine if it’s still good. When in doubt, throw it out, according to foodsafety.gov.

For a full downloadable refrigerated food safety chart, go to foodsafety.gov.

Tip: If you know the power might be out for a long time, the FDA recommends buying a dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep an 18 cubic foot, fully stocked freezer cold for two days.

How long will food last in my freezer after a power outage?

A full freezer will keep foods at a safe temperature for 48 hours (24 for half full). Again, keep the doors to the freezer closed at all times.

Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F (4°C) or below, but the quality of the meat might suffer.

For a full downloadable frozen food safety chart, go to foodsafety.gov.

Here’s what to do once your power has been restored

Once your power comes back on, here’s what to do:

• If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, check the temperature when the power comes back on. If the freezer thermometer reads 40° F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen.
• If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. You can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40° F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.
• If the power was out for no more than four hours, refrigerated food should be safe as long as the doors were kept closed. When the power comes back on, check the temperature in the refrigerator or of the food. Discard any refrigerated perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, milk, eggs or leftovers) that has been at refrigerator temperatures above 40°F for four hours or more. Perishable foods with temperatures that are 45°F or below (measured with a food thermometer) should be safe, but should be cooked and consumed as soon as possible.

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.