Ensuring Food Safety When Severe Weather Strikes
Up until recent times, food safety during inclement weather has been overlooked, largely at the cost of many consumers’ wellbeing. Thankfully, knowledge of food safety has increased as of late, leading many to correctly acknowledge that it is an incredibly vital that proper food practices are in place for keeping the general public healthy. This awareness is even more important with the rise of both inconsistent and troublesome weather. Inclement weather often leads to food instability, shortages, and to power outages, floods, and more.
Why is this important? Well, extreme weather, such as the kind the greater Houston area has been experiencing in recent months, poses a serious threat to proper food production, delivery, storage, and preparation. For example, when hurricanes hit, many are left without power, and subsequently robbed of the ability to properly store or prepare their food. Without electricity, when the produce and other food goods are stored in the refrigerator to maintain safe temperatures, a power outage can quickly lead to a situation in which they are no longer edible, and at risk of causing serious illness if consumed.
While problematic, there are preventative measures that one can take in order to prevent this from happening. Food that is stored in the refrigerator, such as dairy products, meats, eggs, and more, cannot be kept in temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or they will quickly become spoiled. This is called the “Danger Zone”, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which sits between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. At these “higher “in-between” temperatures, bacteria begins to multiply quickly, as it thrives in a warmer climate.
How long can food be left in the Danger Zone?
The tip to remember is to never let perishable foods remain sitting out for more than 2 hours, as this also enables bacteria to multiply. So, if the refrigerator goes out for an hour (and you leave it closed) you can check the thermometer in the refrigerator to see if it got above 40. If not, that food should be good. If it did, and the outage remains fora longer period of time, that is when it becomes more and more dangerous. And remember, the two hours are cumulative, too – so leaving it out for 2 hours once is it. Allowing food to warm, then cool, warm again, etc… is dangerous. Leaving the food in the Danger Zone multiple times can lead to a high risk of contamination. If in doubt, discarding the food is the best option.
When extreme weather hits, which is inevitable for consumers who live in the Houston area, it is important to keep these things in mind. A few tips? During these events, consumers need to think about investing in primarily non-perishable items, have an easy to read thermometer in each refrigerator, continue to monitor and check for spoilage of the goods that are prone to contamination, and think about having an emergency food supply on hand in the event the electricity stays down for more than a few days.
According to one national food poisoning attorney, “Taking preventative measures in order to prevent spoilage of one’s perishable goods is of the utmost importance, because if consumed this way, there could be dire health effects on the person. Planning ahead is the best thing consumers can do. ”
