INFORMATION SHEET
KEEPING FOOD SAFE DURING EMERGENCIES
The U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests these actions to keep food safe during disasters and loss of power:
Keep meat, poultry, fish and eggs refrigerated at or below 40° F and frozen food at or below 0° F. Keep appliance thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer at all times. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed to maintain the cold temperature. Refrigerated foods will keep safely cold for about four hours if the refrigerator is unopened. Frozen foods will keep safely frozen for about 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the freezer door remains closed. If the freezer is not full, keep items close together.
Find out where dry ice and block ice can be purchased and keep that information in your family emergency kit. If the power is going to be out for a prolonged period, dry or block ice can keep the refrigerator cold. Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic foot full freezer for two days. Coolers and frozen gel packs can help keep food cold if the power will be out more than four hours.
Never taste food to determine its safety! If the appliance thermometer stored in the freezer reads 40° F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen. If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food. Do not rely on appearance or odor. If the food contains ice crystals or is 40° F or below, it is safe to refreeze.
Always keep dry and canned items on hand. Shelf-stable food, boxed or canned milk, water and canned goods such as soup, fruit and canned meat should be part of a planned emergency food supply. These items can be eaten cold or heated on the outdoor grill (make sure you have LP gas or charcoal stocked). If there are babies or pets in the household, remember to include baby formula for infants and pet food. Don’t forget bottled water (one gallon per person per day). Be sure to keep a hand-held can opener for an emergency. Keep emergency food on a shelf safe from flood waters.
Drink only approved or chlorinated water. If your property floods, consider water from wells and other delivery systems in the disaster area unsafe until tested.
Use these guidelines to assemble a seven-day emergency food supply:
- Stock one gallon of water per person per day.
- Stock 3-5 servings of vegetables per person per day. Examples: canned vegetables, canned vegetable juice.
- Stock 6-11 servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta per person per day. Examples: ready-to-eat cereal, instant hot cereal, minute rice, crackers, canned spaghetti, canned soup containing noodles or rice.
- Stock 2-3 cups of reconstituted milk per person per day. Examples: evaporated canned milk and powdered milk.
- Stock 2-4 servings of fruit per person per day. Examples: canned fruit, canned juice and dried fruit.
- Stock 2-3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts per person per day. Examples: canned meat, beef jerky, peanut butter, nuts, canned soup containing meat or beans.
- Include coffee, tea, cocoa, juice boxes or pouches, powdered beverages and soft drinks.
