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Food
safety and water treatment tips
After the power has been off
If your power has been off for several hours for whatever reason,
here are basic food safety rules to follow after the power comes
back on. Water treatment tips are also listed.
Freezer
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A fully stocked freezer can last 24 to 48 hours, depending on
size.
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If food still has ice crystals inside, it can be refrozen.
Mark an X on each package to indicate it was partially
thawed. Throw out any items that do not have ice crystals.
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If you don’t know how thawed the food items were before the
power came back on: Check for traces of blood on nearby
packages or at the bottom of the freezer. If you find any, this
indicates advanced thawing. Throw out the food items.
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Primary rule: “If in doubt, throw it out.”
Refrigerator
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If the door was kept closed, food will remain chilled for 4
hours. After 4 hours, the refrigerator temperature will
likely be above 40 degrees F. Throw out the following if
they were stored above 40 degrees F for more than 2 hours:
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Raw or cooked meat, poultry, fish
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Hard-cooked or cracked eggs
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Egg substitutes
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Milk, cream yogurt or soft cheese
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Casseroles, stews, or soups
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Lunch meats and hot dogs
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Creamy-based salad dressings
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Custard, chiffon or cheese pies
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Cream-filled pastries
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Cookie dough
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Condiments on the refrigerator door will last somewhat
longer. Toss out the following if they were held above 50
degrees for more than 8 hours.
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Mayonnaise
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Tartar sauce
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Horseradish
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The following refrigerated food should keep at room
temperature a few days. (Throw out moldy items or food with
an unusual odor or appearance.)
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Butter and margarine
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Barbecue sauce
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Cakes, except cream-filled or cream-cheese frosted
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Dried fruits and coconut
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Fresh fruits and vegetables
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Fruit pies, bread, rolls, muffins
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Hard and processed cheese
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Jelly
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Ketchup
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Mustard
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Peanut butter
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Relish
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Spices
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Taco sauce
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Vinegar-based salad dressings (opened bottles)
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For recommendations about specific foods and more
information,
visit USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service Web site:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/keeping_food_
safe_during_an_emergency
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If a safe supply of water is unavailable, use one of
these 2 methods to purify water for drinking:
Boiling (preferred method if
possible)
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Place water in a clean container and bring to a full boil.
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Continue boiling for at least 3 minutes.
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Keep the container covered while cooling
Purify by adding liquid chlorine
bleach*
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Place water (filtered if necessary) in a clean container.
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For each gallon of water, add 16 drops of bleach or about
one-fourth teaspoon. The bleach should contain 5.25%
sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented or “color-safe”
bleach or bleach with added cleaners.
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Two-liter soft drink bottles are about one-half gallon in
size. Use 8 drops or 1/8 teaspoon bleach for each of these
bottles.
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Mix water and bleach thoroughly.
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Allow to stand for at least 30 minutes before using.
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If the water is cloudy, or very cold, increase the standing
time to 60 minutes before using.
Note: Chlorine will not kill parasites such as
Cryptosporidium or Giardia, which may be present in flood
waters. Parasites can cause severe illness in persons who
are weakened because of health problems. Boiling is the best
treatment in these situations.
2.
For planning purposes, figure each person will need a gallon
of water per day.
Contact:
Cynthia Fauser, MS, RD, LD
Nutrition & Health Education Specialist
University of Missouri Extension
314-615-2911;
FauserC@missouri.edu
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Food safety & supplies
Food security & emergency preparedness (USDA's Food Safety &
Inspection Service)
Missouri Families
Disaster resources
MU Extension
Community Emergency Management
American Red Cross
NOAA/National Weather Service
Homeland Security
Extension Disaster Education
Network (EDEN)
Preparing a disaster supplies kit (PDF)
Government
St. Louis County government
St. Louis City government
Coping with stress
Missouri
Families: Coping with disaster
CYFERNET:
Helping families during times of stress
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