HOUSTON — Devastating storms swept through the Houston area on Thursday, leaving more than 40% of Harris County residents without power for an extended period.
Extended power outages can wreak havoc on people's day-to-day lives.
It can also cause food to go bad since refrigerators and freezers rely on electricity to work properly.
To prevent foodborne illness, the CDC has some tips to follow in the wake of disaster.
- Keep thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer. The refrigerator should be kept at 40 degrees or below and the freezer should be kept at 0 degrees or below.
- Freeze containers of water and gel packs to help keep your food at 40 degrees or below.
- Have a cooler and frozen gel packs handy in case you have to remove food from the fridge 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.
Once the power does go out, there are other things you can do to save the food.
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
- If the doors stay closed, food will stay safe for up to 4 hours in a refrigerator, 48 hours in a full freezer and 24 hours in a half freezer.
- If the power has been out for 4 hours and a cooler and ice are available, put refrigerated perishable items in the cooler.
When in doubt, throw it out. That's the safest rule to follow in the wake of a power outage. You should never taste something to see if it's still good.
After 4 hours without power:
- Throw out perishable foods (meat, fish, cut fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk, leftovers)
- Throw out anything with an unusual odor, color or texture
- You can safely refreeze or cook thawed frozen food that still contains ice crystals or is at 40 degrees or below
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