Food Safety Tips During Hurricane Sandy

With Hurricane Sandy set to bear down on the Northeast, some may be wondering what they will do to keep life-saving supplies safe. One of the most vital supplies is obviously food, but with Hurricane Sandy threatening to cut the power supply, the USDA recently issued a set of tips on how to keep perishables from spoiling.

The top three things that the USDA stresses are that meat, poultry, and eggs should be kept at 40 degrees F or below to avoid foodborne illnesses. Once the power to your refrigerator is cut, you can still keep foods cold for at least 4 hours. Similarly, a full freezer can stay cold for 48 hours while a half full freezer can stay cold for 24 hours. Coolers can also be used to keep food colder for longer. Remember, frozen foods must be kept at 0 degrees F or below to be safe to eat.

The USDA also provided these other tips for food safety during a hurricane:

• Use a thermometer in the fridge and freezers to ensure safe temperatures.
• Have ice in the freezer in case the power goes out.
• Fill containers with water and store in the fridge and freezer. Not only will this help to keep food colder for longer, it can also be used as a backup water supply in the case of emergency.
• Group foods together as it will keep them colder for longer.
• For foods in the pantry, store all items on higher shelves in case of flooding.

You can read many more tips on what to do as Hurricane Sany approaches to keep your foods from spoiling and preserving this vital supply with the possibility of a power outage at the USDA website.