What is what to do with food when fridge stops working?

When your fridge stops working, time is of the essence to prevent food spoilage and minimize waste. Here's what you need to do:

• Assess the Situation: Determine why the fridge stopped working. Is it a power outage, a mechanical failure, or something else? This will help you determine how long you have before food starts to spoil.

• Check Food Temperatures: Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of food, especially meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and leftovers. These are most susceptible to spoilage. Refer to safe food temperature guidelines (external resource is advised).

• Prioritize Perishables: Focus on saving the most perishable items first. This includes:

  • Meat, poultry, and seafood
  • Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt)
  • Eggs
  • Cooked leftovers
  • Soft fruits and vegetables

• Options for Saving Food:

  • Move to a Working Fridge: If possible, transfer food to a working refrigerator (neighbor, friend, family).
  • Use Coolers: Pack food in coolers with plenty of ice or ice packs. Keep the coolers in the coolest part of your home or outside if the temperature is colder. Learn more about https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Cooler%20Usage.
  • Freezing: If you have enough time and freezer space, freeze highly perishable items. Even if they've partially thawed, they can be refrozen as long as they still contain ice crystals and have been kept at 40°F (4°C) or below. Discover more about https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Freezing%20Food.

• Discard Food: When in doubt, throw it out! It's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to food poisoning. Discard any food that has been above 40°F (4°C) for more than two hours, or one hour if the temperature is above 90°F (32°C). https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Food%20Spoilage%20Signs can help to identify spoiled foods.

• Don't Open the Fridge Unnecessarily: Opening the fridge will let warm air in and speed up spoilage.

• Proper Disposal: Dispose of spoiled food properly to prevent attracting pests and spreading odors.

• Prevention: Learn about ways to https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Prevent%20Food%20Spoilage during power outages.