USDA Food Safety Tips for Areas Affected by Severe Storms
This News Release has a video broadcast. Click here to view
it.
WASHINGTON, December 6, 2013—The U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing food
safety recommendations for those affected by the weather system moving across
the Rockies to the Ohio Valley. Power outages that result from weather
emergencies compromise the safety of stored food, but there are steps that can
minimize food waste and the risk of foodborne illness.
FSIS’ YouTube video “Food Safety During Power Outages” has
instructions for keeping frozen and refrigerated food safe.
FSIS will provide relevant food safety information as the storm progresses
from its Twitter feed @USDAFoodSafety. To get
tweets about weather-related food safety issues and food recalls concerning the
affected regions, follow @AR_FSISAlert, @IL_FSISAlert, @IN_FSISAlert, @KY_FSISAlert, @OH_FSISAlert, @OK_FSISAlert, @MO_FSISAlert, @TN_FSISAlert and @TX_FSISAlert.
Steps to follow if the power goes out:
Keep appliance thermometers in both the refrigerator and the freezer to
ensure temperatures remain food safe during a power outage. Safe temperatures
are 40°F or lower in the refrigerator, 0°F or lower in the freezer.
and American Sign Language on FSIS’ YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/USDAFoodSafety. An FSIS
Public Service Announcement (PSA) illustrating practical food safety
recommendations for handling and consuming foods stored in refrigerators and
freezers during and after a power outage is available in 30- and 60-second
versions at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/videos-psas/food-safety-public-service-announcements.
News organizations and power companies can obtain hard copy (Beta and DVD)
versions of the PSA by contacting FSIS’ Food Safety Education Staff at (301)
344-4757.
Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual
representative available 24 hours a day at www.AskKaren.gov
or m.AskKaren.gov on a smartphone. Mobile Ask Karen
can also be downloaded from the Apple and Android app stores. Consumers can
e-mail, chat with a live representative, or call the USDA Meat and Poultry
Hotline directly from the app. To use these features from Mobile Ask Karen,
simply choose “Contact Us” from the menu. The live chat option and the toll-free
USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), are available
in English and Spanish on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.
This News Release has a video broadcast. Click here to view
it.
WASHINGTON, December 6, 2013—The U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing food
safety recommendations for those affected by the weather system moving across
the Rockies to the Ohio Valley. Power outages that result from weather
emergencies compromise the safety of stored food, but there are steps that can
minimize food waste and the risk of foodborne illness.
FSIS’ YouTube video “Food Safety During Power Outages” has
instructions for keeping frozen and refrigerated food safe.
FSIS will provide relevant food safety information as the storm progresses
from its Twitter feed @USDAFoodSafety. To get
tweets about weather-related food safety issues and food recalls concerning the
affected regions, follow @AR_FSISAlert, @IL_FSISAlert, @IN_FSISAlert, @KY_FSISAlert, @OH_FSISAlert, @OK_FSISAlert, @MO_FSISAlert, @TN_FSISAlert and @TX_FSISAlert.
Steps to follow if the power goes out:
Keep appliance thermometers in both the refrigerator and the freezer to
ensure temperatures remain food safe during a power outage. Safe temperatures
are 40°F or lower in the refrigerator, 0°F or lower in the freezer.
- Freeze water in one-quart plastic storage bags or small containers prior to
a storm. These containers are small enough to fit in around the food in the
refrigerator and freezer to help keep food cold. Remember, water expands when it
freezes so don’t overfill the containers. - Freeze refrigerated items, such as leftovers, milk and fresh meat and
poultry that you may not need immediately—this helps keep them at a safe
temperature longer. - Know where you can get dry ice or block ice.
- Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerator food cold if the power will be out
for more than four hours. - Group foods together in the freezer—this ‘igloo’ effect helps the food stay
cold longer. - Avoid putting food outside in ice or snow, because it attracts wild animals
or could thaw when the sun comes out. - Keep a few days’ worth of ready-to-eat foods that do not require cooking or
cooling. - Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
- A refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if the door is kept
closed. - A full freezer will hold its temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if
half-full).
- A refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if the door is kept
- Place meat and poultry to one side of the freezer or on a tray to prevent
cross contamination of thawing juices. - Use dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible during an
extended power outage. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep a fully-stocked
18-cubic-feet freezer cold for two days.
- Check the temperature inside of your refrigerator and freezer. Discard any
perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs or leftovers) that has
been above 40°F for two hours or more. - Check each item separately. Throw out any food that has an unusual odor,
color or texture or feels warm to the touch. - Check frozen food for ice crystals. The food in your freezer that partially
or completely thawed may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or
is 40°F or below. - Never taste a food to decide if it’s safe.
- When in doubt, throw it out.
and American Sign Language on FSIS’ YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/USDAFoodSafety. An FSIS
Public Service Announcement (PSA) illustrating practical food safety
recommendations for handling and consuming foods stored in refrigerators and
freezers during and after a power outage is available in 30- and 60-second
versions at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/videos-psas/food-safety-public-service-announcements.
News organizations and power companies can obtain hard copy (Beta and DVD)
versions of the PSA by contacting FSIS’ Food Safety Education Staff at (301)
344-4757.
Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual
representative available 24 hours a day at www.AskKaren.gov
or m.AskKaren.gov on a smartphone. Mobile Ask Karen
can also be downloaded from the Apple and Android app stores. Consumers can
e-mail, chat with a live representative, or call the USDA Meat and Poultry
Hotline directly from the app. To use these features from Mobile Ask Karen,
simply choose “Contact Us” from the menu. The live chat option and the toll-free
USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), are available
in English and Spanish on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.