How long does freezer food last without power

After the storm Friday night, many homes in and around the Triangle area were left without power. This also means that the food in the fridge and freezer was at risk of spoiling.

It's important to know how long you have after a power outage starts before food is no longer safe to eat.

According to

FoodSafety.gov,

"your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers after 4 hours without power."

Fortunately, food in the freezer lasts longer than items in the refrigerator. "A full freezer will hold a safe temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full and the door remains closed). Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F or below, however, its quality may suffer," the FoodSafety article also indicates.

Keys to keeping food safe for a longer period of time during an outage:

* Keep frozen bottles of water in the freezer to fill it up. A full freezer will keep food at a safe temperature for twice as long as a half full freezer. As you can see in the photo below, used tea bottles were filled with water and frozen to help fill this freezer and keep it cool during outages.

* Do not open the doors to the refrigerator or freezer during the outage, if possible.

* During a lengthy outage, buy bags of ice to keep the refrigerator and freezer as cold as possible.

* Place appliance thermometers in your refrigerator and freezer so you can check the temperature once the power comes back on and determine if the food is still safe to consume.

After the power has come back on, "if the freezer thermometer reads 40° F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, milk, eggs, or leftovers) that has been at refrigerator temperatures above 40°F for 4 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", according to the

FDA.

See the

FDA website

for additional information on preparing for power outages and for determining food safety once power is restored.

See a list of specific foods, and when they need to be discarded after an outage, at

FoodSafety.gov.

Unfortunately, many refrigerated and freezer foods may not be safe to eat after a power outage.

Tens of thousands are without power in Michigan after severe storms tore through the state Saturday night.

With inflation driving the price of food up, many are left wondering how long their expensive groceries will last.

Unfortunately, many refrigerated and freezer foods may not be safe to eat after a power outage.

Experts say it's crucial to leave refrigerator and freezer doors closed to trap the cold air inside — but how stocked your fridge or freezer may impact how long your food is good for, too.

Here's what the CDC says:

If the doors stay closed, food will stay safe for up to:
- 4 hours in a refrigerator.
- 48 hours in a full freezer; 24 hours in a half-full freezer.
If the power has been out for 4 hours, and a cooler and ice are available, put refrigerated perishable foods in the cooler. To keep them at 40°F or below, add ice or a cold source like frozen gel packs.

The CDC says a good rule of thumb is "when in doubt, throw it out," and reminds consumers never to taste food to determine if it's safe to eat or not.

After four hours without power, you should throw out perishable food in your refrigerator, including meat, fish, cut fruits and veggies, eggs, milk and leftovers, unless you have another cold source to keep the food cool. The CDC says to throw out any food with an unusual odor, color or texture.

In general, it's best to throw out any food that's above 40 degrees. If your freezer has an appliance thermometer, it should be 40 degrees or below.

You can safely refreeze or cook thawed frozen food that still has ice crystals or is 40 degrees and below, the CDC says.

Here's what the CDC recommends to do to better prepare for the next outage:

Keep appliance thermometers in your refrigerator and freezer. The refrigerator should be at 40°F or below. The freezer should be at 0°F or below.
Freeze containers of water and gel packs to help keep your food at 40°F or below.
Have a cooler and frozen gel packs handy in case you have to remove your food from the refrigerator to keep it cold.
Buy dry ice or block ice to keep your food cold in the refrigerator, if you think the power will be out for a long time.