The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services has published food safety recommendations for people who may lose power in Hurricane Sandy.
“As important as it is to have enough food and water on hand for your family in case you lose power, is to make sure you keep the food safe to avoid the potential for food-borne illness,” said New Hampshire’s Public Health Director Dr. José Montero. “Food safety is always a big concern when the power is off for an extended period of time. We would advise people to take extra care when determining if their food should be saved or thrown out. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if it has been contaminated with dangerous bacteria. We would advise people if they have any doubt to throw it out.”
The US Department of Agriculture recommends taking the following steps during and after a weather emergency:
· Never taste food to determine if it is safe
· Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible
to maintain the cold temperature
· The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if
it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature
approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) and the door
remains closed
· Food can be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or
is at 40°F or below
· Get block ice or dry ice to keep your refrigerator and freezer as
cold as possible if the power is going to be out for an extended
period of time
· Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish,
soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers, and deli items after 4 hours
without power.
