How to keep food safe in a power outage in Canada

An unopened refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours in a power outage, a full freezer keeps food frozen for about 48 hours, and a half-full freezer holds for about 24 hours. Those are the figures Prince Edward Island’s environmental health office and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) give Canadians, and they only hold if you keep the doors shut.

With winter storms, ice and high winds regularly knocking out power across the country, a few hours without electricity can turn into a day or more. Food that sits above 4 C for too long can make you sick, and you cannot tell by looking or smelling. The steps below follow guidance from the P.E.I. government and the CFIA, as reported by CBC News, and they take about 10 minutes to set up before the next storm. For the rest of your preparations, see our winter power outage kit guide and our winter storm prep checklist.

Step 1: Prepare before the power goes out

If an outage is likely, turn the fridge and freezer controls to their coldest settings. The P.E.I. government says the fridge should be at or below 4 C (40 F) and the freezer at or below -18 C (0 F). Put a thermometer in each appliance so you can check temperatures later instead of guessing.

Fill empty containers, such as milk cartons, with water and freeze them. The P.E.I. government said the blocks of ice help maintain temperatures during an outage. Also have a cooler and ice ready ahead of time in case the power could be out for more than four hours.

Step 2: Keep the doors closed

Every time you open the fridge or freezer, cold air escapes. The four-hour and 48-hour windows apply to an unopened refrigerator and a freezer that is full. Decide what you need once, open the door briefly and close it.

Step 3: Move food to a cooler if the outage runs past four hours

If you suspect the power will be out for more than four hours, the P.E.I. government advises packing refrigerated food into a cooler with ice. It also suggests adding ice to the refrigerator itself if possible. Keep the cooler closed as much as you can.

If you store food outdoors in winter, be careful. The P.E.I. government warns that the sun’s rays could thaw frozen food even when the outdoor temperature is very cold, and animals could contaminate it.

Step 4: Check temperatures when the power returns

Use your thermometer to see how cold the food stayed. The CFIA said a thermometer in the refrigerator or freezer will show how cold the food has remained during the outage. The key rule is two hours: the P.E.I. government said to discard food that has been above 4 C for two hours or more, or that has an unusual odour, colour or texture.

Step 5: Sort what to throw out and what to keep

Throw out perishable food that has been above 4 C for more than two hours. According to the P.E.I. government, that includes raw or cooked meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and luncheon meats; casseroles, stews and soups; milk and soft cheeses; homemade mayonnaise or dressings; cooked pasta, potatoes or rice; and salads made with any of those foods.

Some foods are safer. The P.E.I. government said butter and margarine, hard or processed cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables that have not been cut, mustard, ketchup, olives, commercially prepared salad dressings, peanut butter, barbecue sauce, jams and jellies can stay above 4 C for several days.

Never taste food to decide whether it is safe. Nova Scotia’s Department of Agriculture and the P.E.I. government both use the same rule: when in doubt, throw it out.

Step 6: Decide what can be refrozen

Food that still contains ice crystals or feels as cold as it would in a refrigerator can be refrozen, the P.E.I. government said. CBC News, citing CFIA guidance, reported that thawed food that is still at 4 C or below may be refrozen, but raw meat or poultry should be cooked first. Fish and shellfish that have completely thawed should not be refrozen, and neither should frozen dinners, desserts or ice cream. Prepared foods can be refrozen, but label them so you use them as soon as possible.

Step 7: Clean up any leaks

If raw food leaked while it thawed, the CFIA said it is important to disinfect the area. The P.E.I. government suggests mixing about 2 ml of bleach (5.7 per cent) with one litre of water. Pre-mixing a bottle ahead of a storm saves time later.

If your outage comes with flooding, the CFIA guidance reported by CBC News says to throw away baby formula containers, cardboard juice containers, home-canned foods and milk containers that floodwater has touched. Check other packaging for denting, rusting, punctures or leakage.

Planning for a long outage also means water. The P.E.I. government recommends four litres of water per day per person. If your home loses heat as well as power, our guide to preventing frozen pipes covers the next problem to watch for.

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Sources: Government of Prince Edward Island, “Food Safety – Power Outage” (princeedwardisland.ca); CBC News, “What foods to keep, throw away after a power outage” (cbc.ca), citing the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Nova Scotia’s Department of Agriculture.