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Power outage food timer: fridge and freezer
Power out? Enter when it went off to see how long the food in your fridge and freezer stays safe — the times update as you wait.
The rules
- Fridge: 4 hours. A closed fridge keeps food safe for about four hours. After that, throw out perishable food such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, soft cheese and leftovers.
- Freezer: 48 hours if full, 24 hours if half full — as long as the door stays shut.
- Frozen food that still has ice crystals or is at 4 °C (40 °F) or below can be safely refrozen or cooked.
- Throw out any perishable food that has been above 4 °C (40 °F) for two hours or more.
- Never taste food to check whether it is safe. When in doubt, throw it out.
Making the cold last
Keep the doors closed. Before a storm, fill empty freezer space with containers of water, and keep fridge and freezer thermometers so you know the actual temperature. Twenty-five pounds of dry ice keeps a 10-cubic-foot freezer below freezing for three to four days (handle it with gloves, and never in a closed space).
For planning and general information. In an emergency, follow the instructions of your local authorities and call your emergency number (911, 112, 999 or 000).
More food tools
Source: CDC, Keep Food Safe After a Disaster or Emergency; Ready.gov, Food.