Hurricane Season: Food Safety when the Power is Back
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Collapse ▲This is the third installment in a series on severe weather by Extension Master Food Volunteer, Nancy Oliver.
If the power has been out for longer than four hours, place unsafe food in heavy-duty garbage bags to dispose of it. Then, put the bag(s) in a trash container or take the bags directly to a landfill.
As long as your food has remained below 41°F, it may be refrozen … although the quality of it might decrease. Use your tip-sensitive thermometer to verify this number.
Here’s what you can safely keep:
Dairy:
Butter, margarine | Processed cheeses |
Hard cheeses: cheddar, Colby, Parmesan (including grated in jar/can), provolone, Romano (including grated in jar/can), Swiss | Unopened, commercially processed yogurt |
Vegetables, fruits:
Fresh mushrooms Raw vegetables, but not cut tomatoes, greens |
Fresh fruits, dried/candied fruits, coconut, dates, raisins |
Herbs, spices | Opened fruit juices, except pear |
Baked goods, pies, pastries:
Bagels, pancakes, waffles Bread, rolls, cakes (without cream or custard filling), muffins, quick breads, tortillas |
Fruit pies |
Jams, spreads, and sauces:
Jam, jelly, marmalade | Worcestershire, soy, barbecue, Hoisin, taco |
Ketchup, mustard, relish, olives, pickles | Opened vinegar-based dressings |
Here’s what needs to go:
Toss anything else that has been at 41 degrees Fahrenheit (or higher) for more than 4 hours. As the old saying goes, “when in doubt, throw it out.”
Poultry, meat, seafood
Raw, thawing/leftover cooked meat, poultry, fish, or seafood |
Salads made from tuna, shrimp, chicken, eggs, or meat |
Meat substitutes Lunch meats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, dried beef |
Gravy, stuffing, broth |
Dairy products
Milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, evaporated milk Opened baby formula Shredded cheeses Low-fat cheeses |
Soft cheese: bleu/blue, gorgonzola, brie, Camembert, cottage, cream, Monterey Jack, ricotta, mozzarella, muenster, queso blanco, queso fresco
|
Ice cream, yogurt, eggnog | Plant-based milk alternatives |
Vegetables, fruits
Pre-cut/pre-washed/packaged leafy greens | Cooked potatoes/potato dishes |
Cooked vegetables/tofu | Commercial garlic in oil |
Opened vegetable juice | Cut tomatoes |
Eggs
Fresh eggs, hard-boiled eggs in shell Egg dishes, egg products |
Custards and puddings |
Grains, pasta, baked goods, pastries, pies
Cooked rice, pasta, potatoes | Refrigerator biscuits, rolls, doughs |
Pasta salads with mayo or vinaigrette | Quiche |
Fresh pasta | Pies: cheese-filled/chiffon/custard |
Cheesecake | Cream-filled pastries |
Sauces, spreads, jams
Opened mayo, tartar sauce, horseradish (if above 50 degrees F for more than 8 hours) |
Opened cream-based dressings Opened spaghetti sauce |
Fish, oyster sauces |
Other
Leftovers, such as casseroles, soups, stews
In the next and final installment of our severe weather series, we’ll talk about baby food safety: how to prepare for a power outage and what to do if one occurs.