How Long Will Food Last in Refrigerator Without Power?
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Just a few hours can make the difference between food that is still safe to eat and food that needs to be thrown away. We don’t like to leave food safety to guesswork, so we made the guide below for you to help you know “how long will food last in refrigerator without power?”
1. How Long Will Food Last in Refrigerator Without Power?
A refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if you keep the door closed. Each time you open the door, cold air escapes and food warms up faster. For this reason, avoid checking food repeatedly while the power is out.
After power returns, use an appliance thermometer to check the refrigerator temperature. The temperature should be 40°F or lower. Throw away perishable food, such as meat, poultry, and seafood, if it has been above 40°F for 4 hours or more.
The surrounding temperature can affect how quickly perishable food becomes unsafe. If food has been at room temperature for 2 hours or more, discard it. When outdoor temperatures are above 90°F, that window decreases to just 1 hour.
2. What to Do With Refrigerated Food After a Power Outage
After a power outage, do not rely on smell, appearance, or taste to decide whether refrigerated food is safe. Your refrigerator can generally keep food cold for up to 4 hours when the door stays closed.
Once power returns, evaluate foods based on how long they were exposed to temperatures of 40°F (4°C) or above. When in doubt, throw it out.
Foods You Should Throw Away
If refrigerated perishable foods have been at 40°F (4°C) or above for more than 2 hours, FoodSafety.gov recommends discarding them. This includes:
Meat, poultry, seafood, and cooked leftovers
If it’s meat, how long will food last in refrigerator without power? Raw or cooked meat, poultry, fish, seafood, and soy meat substitutes can support bacterial growth when they become too warm, so discard them after the recommended time.
Lunchmeat and hot dogs
Refrigerated deli meats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, and dried beef should be thrown away if they exceed the safe temperature window.
Milk and other dairy
Do not keep milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, yogurt, evaporated milk, eggnog, or soy milk after unsafe temperature exposure.
Eggs and egg-based foods
Fresh shell eggs, hard-cooked eggs, egg dishes, egg products, custards, puddings, and quiche should be discarded.
Soft and shredded cheeses
Soft cheeses such as Brie, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and mozzarella, along with shredded and low-fat cheeses, should be discarded.
Cooked foods
Casseroles, soups, stews, cooked pasta, rice, potatoes, and cooked vegetables are not safe to keep after the recommended exposure period.
Cut produce
Cut fruits, cut vegetables, pre-cut or pre-washed packaged greens, and sliced or shredded coconut should be discarded.
Cream-filled and dairy-based desserts
Cheesecake, cream-filled pastries, and pies containing egg or milk fillings should be thrown away.
Foods You Can Safely Keep
Some foods remain safe even after exposure above 40°F for more than 2 hours.
- Hard cheeses can be kept because they are more resistant to temperature changes. Butter and margarine can also be kept.
- Uncut fresh fruits and vegetables generally remain safe, as do fresh mushrooms, herbs, and spices. Bread, rolls, muffins, cakes without custard fillings, tortillas, waffles, pancakes, and bagels can also be kept.
- Shelf-stable condiments such as peanut butter, jelly, mustard, ketchup, pickles, olives, and soy or barbecue sauce can remain safe. Opened fruit juice, canned fruits, and dried fruits can also be kept.
- However, some sauces and dressings, including fish sauce, opened creamy dressings, and opened spaghetti sauce, should be discarded.
When assessing refrigerated food after an outage, never taste a questionable item to test its safety.
>>> Read more: How Long to Boil Hot Dogs? Cooking Times for Perfect Hot Dogs
3. What Happens to Frozen Food During a Power Outage?
How long will food in a refrigerator last without power if it’s frozen food? Frozen food stays cold longer than refrigerated food if you keep the freezer closed.
A full freezer will keep food cold for about 48 hours. A half-full freezer will keep food cold for about 24 hours.
How long does a freezer stay cold without power? Can you refreeze food after a power outage?
When the power returns, frozen food does not automatically need to be thrown away. Food can generally be refrozen if it still has ice crystals or has remained at 40°F (4°C) or below. Refreezing may affect texture or quality for some foods, but that does not necessarily make them unsafe.
Different foods respond differently to thawing. Meat, poultry, seafood, soups, stews, eggs removed from their shells, and many frozen fruits and vegetables can generally be refrozen when they remain sufficiently cold. However, some products, such as ice cream and frozen yogurt, should be discarded once they have thawed.
How to judge frozen food after the outage:
Do not taste frozen food to determine whether it is safe. Instead, check whether the food still contains ice crystals and feels as cold as refrigerated food, or use a food thermometer to check its temperature.
If a frozen perishable food has been above 40°F for more than 2 hours, it should generally be discarded. Some foods have specific exceptions.
4. Common Food-Safety Myths
Power outages can make it difficult to know which foods are safe to eat, and common assumptions can increase the risk of foodborne illness.
“If It Smells Fine, It Must Be Safe”
False. You cannot determine whether food is safe simply by smelling, tasting, or looking at it. Harmful bacteria may be present without noticeably changing a food’s appearance, odor, or flavor.
“Putting Food Outside Solves the Problem”
Not necessarily. Moving refrigerated or frozen food outdoors does not guarantee that it will remain at a safe temperature. Outdoor conditions can fluctuate, and food may also be exposed to contamination.
Instead, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed during the outage. If the power will be unavailable for an extended period, use a cooler with ice or another appropriate cold-storage method to maintain safe temperatures.
“All Refrigerated Food Must Be Thrown Away After Four Hours”
This is an oversimplification. A closed refrigerator can generally keep food cold for up to four hours, but that does not mean every item must automatically be discarded at the four-hour mark.
Once power returns, assess individual foods based on their temperature and how long they were exposed to unsafe conditions. Some foods, such as hard cheeses, butter, uncut fruits and vegetables, and certain shelf-stable condiments, can remain safe even when other perishable foods must be discarded.
>>> Read more: How to Clean a Refrigerator Properly Without Damaging It
5. FAQs
Let’s answer some more frequently asked questions besides how long will food last in refrigerator without power.
How long will eggs last during a power outage?
Eggs should be discarded if they have been kept at temperatures above 40°F (4°C) for more than 2 hours.
How long will milk last in a fridge without power?
An unopened refrigerator generally stays cold for about 4 hours. If milk has been above 40°F for more than 2 hours, discard it.
Should I throw away meat after a power outage?
Discard meat if it has been exposed to temperatures of 40°F or above for more than 2 hours. If it remains safely cold, use a thermometer to assess it before deciding whether to keep it.
How long does food stay frozen without power?
A full freezer can generally maintain a safe temperature for about 48 hours, while a half-full freezer lasts around 24 hours, as long as the door stays closed.
What should I do with food after the power comes back on?
Check food temperatures with a thermometer. Frozen food can generally be refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is 40°F or below. Discard perishable refrigerated food that has been above 40°F for too long.
Conclusion
The exact shelf life depends on the food you store, how full the refrigerator is, the temperature before the power goes out, and how often you open the door. It may take some judgment based on the situation. Keep your own notes on how long will food last in refrigerator without power for different foods, and don’t forget to catch up with more practical guides on AirTalk Wireless blog!
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