If Idalia knocks out power in SC, here’s how long your food will last in the fridge
If you have some highly perishable food in your fridge right now, you might want to plan ahead.
Idalia strengthened to a hurricane early Tuesday morning as it heads to the Florida coast, according to the National Weather Service Hurricane Center. Current models has the storm reaching South Carolina around early Thursday. By the time Idalia makes it to South Carolina, it will likely be downgraded to a tropical storm, weakening as it passes over land.
Still, the storm is expected to produce heavy rains and some tropical force winds, meaning there could be power outages.
If the storm does knock out your power, here’s how long you can expect the food in your fridge to last, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Fridge power outage
The CDC recommends keeping your fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible during a power outage.
- If the door stay closed, the food will remain safe for up to 4 hours in a refrigerator.
- If the freezer door remains closed, food in a full freezer can last 48 hours, but 24 hours in a half-full freezer.
- If the power has been out for 4 hours and you have ice and a cooler available, put refrigerated perishable foods in the cooler.
To prepare for long power outage
- In the days before the storm hits, freeze containers of water or gel packs to help keep perishable food at 40 degrees or lower.
- Have a cooler handy to use the ice or gel packs.
- Buy dry ice or block ice to keep your food cold in the refrigerator if you think the power will be out a long time.
After a long power outage
- Never taste food to determine if it’s safe to eat. If there’s any doubt, throw it away.
- Throw away perishable food like meat, cut fruits, milk and vegetables, if they’ve been in the refrigerator without power for more than 4 hours.
- Throw away any food with an unusual odor, color or texture.
- Check temperatures of food kept in coolers or your refrigerator if you’ve added a cold source. Throw away food above 40 degrees.
