Guide · Food

Food safety after a power cut

When the power goes off, food in your fridge and freezer starts to warm up. Knowing what to keep and what to throw away helps you avoid food poisoning.

Keep the doors shut

• A fridge stays cold for about 4 hours if the door stays closed.
• A full freezer keeps food frozen for about 48 hours; a half-full one for about 24 hours.
• Every time you open the door, warm air gets in. Plan what you need before opening.

Help it stay cold

• Pack the freezer tightly. Fill gaps with bags of ice or frozen bottles of water.
• Move items you'll need soon into a cool box with ice.
• In winter, a cool box kept outside in a shady, secure place can work, but watch out for animals and sun.

Fridge food: what to throw away

Foods that spoil easily are risky once they have been above about 4°C for more than 2 hours. Throw these away if in doubt:

• Raw and cooked meat, poultry and fish.
• Milk, cream, soft cheese and yoghurt.
• Cooked leftovers, rice and pasta.
• Eggs and egg dishes.
• Sandwiches, salads and anything with mayonnaise.

Usually safe:

• Hard cheese, butter and margarine.
• Whole fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Jam, ketchup, mustard, pickles and peanut butter.
• Bread and cakes without cream.

Frozen food

• If food still has ice crystals or feels as cold as a fridge, it can be refrozen, though quality may suffer.
• If it has fully thawed and warmed up, cook and eat it straight away or throw it away.
• Don't refreeze raw meat that has fully thawed unless you cook it first.

Don't trust your nose

Food can look and smell fine and still make you ill. Never taste food to check if it's safe. When in doubt, throw it out.

When the power returns

1. Check the fridge and freezer temperatures if you have a thermometer. The fridge should be about 4°C or below and the freezer about −18°C.
2. Throw away anything you are unsure about.
3. Clean up any spills and wipe the inside.

Look after those most at risk

Babies, pregnant women, older people and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to be seriously ill from food poisoning. Be extra careful with their food.

Food poisoning

Vomiting and diarrhoea usually settle in a few days. Keep sipping water. Seek medical help if someone can't keep fluids down, has blood in their stools or shows signs of dehydration.

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