Unexpected Freezer Outage
Thursday, September 11th, 2008Has your house lost power? Did you fridge break overnight? Are you worried about the food you had in the freezer?
Not to worry - there are some simple guidelines to food safety in such a situation.
If the food has been completely thawed or even warmed to room temperature, throw it away. Discard it if it has been out of the refrigerator for over two hours.
If the food has thawed out, but is still cold, it is safest to cook it right away. The cooked foods can either be consumed or put in the refrigerator to eat later.
You may notice ice crystals on your food and if so, it’s okay to freeze it again. If you don’t have a freezer to put it in, make sure to get some dry ice and put it in a cooler. The food will need to be cooked, because it won’t last as long as with a normal freezer.
Anything showing signs of freezer burn are also candidates for immediate disposal.
Sudden power outages cannot be avoided, but there are things you can do to prepare for them.
Getting a new Fridge or freezer is a great idea to save energy and replace that old worn out one, giving your kitchen a new look. If you have the space, you should certainly consider a large American Style fridge freezer. This can make a dramatic change to any kitchen. A broad selection of American refrigerators and freezers is available for viewing at this site.