Much of the country was hit by ice and snow this week, and although we in Southern California seem to be having the problem of not getting enough precipitation lately, there are certain sections of the state where the elements could still take their toll over the coming months. If any type of weather phenomenon ever knocks out your power, then you might keep in mind some of the tips on food safety provided in a new report.
The first instinct of many persons in a residence without power is to check the contents of the refrigerator to see how they’re holding up. Don’t do this; you already know your fridge is off, and every minute you have the fridge open, you’re letting the temperature drift ever upward.
The only time you should open the refrigerator is to actually grab something to eat. Have a thermometer readily visible so that you can verify that the interior remains below 40 degrees, because the moment it edges past that, you can no longer be sure that the contents are safe to consume. Even in a house during the dead of winter, it’s unlikely that the fridge’s interior will keep below 40.
In preparation for such an occurrence, you should have various canned goods ready to go so that you’ll always have something to eat until the power comes back online.