Food in the fridge still okay?

[corazon]

Our power went out for about 4 hours today. I left the doors closed the entire time but have no thermometers in either the fridge or freezer. Do I need to throw anything out? Everything still feels cold to touch and I think everything in the freezer stayed frozen. What do you guys think?

 

[ironchef]

Most of your food should be ok, but I would double check any dairy, seafood, meat, or other perishables. The temperature danger zone is between 40 to 140 degrees and the standard rule is that anything that is between those two temperatures for more than four hours are subject to food borne illness. Taking into account that you did not open the doors, and assuming your fridge was already holding the food at a sub 40 degree level, most of your stuff should be okay because it would've taken some time for the temperature to rise above 40 degrees. But again, any perishables, especially meat, seafood, or dairy, should be double checked and dumped if you even suspect it is contaminated.

 

[auntdot]

Four hours, you should be fine.

Have had the fridge go off for much longer than that with no ill effects to the quality of the food.

I would not give it another thought.

Good luck.

 

[Shunka]

Since you did not open the fridge, you will be fine.

 

[Michael in FtW]

That happens to me once or twice a year. If you kept the doors closed it should be safe.

 

[Robo410]

it's fine...

 

[bethzaring]

Four hours is not an awfully long time for the power to be out, in regards to your frig and freezer. I am sure your food is fine.

But you should think about a few things. What was the condition of the food when the power went out? Had you just put 3 gallons of blood warm milk, or a stock pot of warm soup in the frig? What temperature do you keep the interior of your frig? If all foods were under 40 degrees F when you lost power, there is nothing to worry about.

 

[BreezyCooking]

You should be A-Okay. Four hours is virtually nothing. Of course, now that I've posted that, no one is ever going to want to eat at my house again - lol!!!!

 

[Constance]

Think of your fridge as a giant cooler with super insulation. I doubt it ever even warmed up in 4 hours.

 

[mudbug]

I was thinking about coolers, too, Connie. How many times have you gone to a picnic/party with a cooler in tow and never worried about the goodies you brought?

 

[BreezyCooking]

Really - that's true. When we went thru our last hurricane where we were without power for 4 days, we had 3 Coleman coolers filled with ice where we had deli meat, eggs, raw poultry, & such stuff. But really - butter, cheese, vegetables, etc., were just fine in the fridge.

In fact, since we stuffed the fridge freezer with bags of ice, everything in there stayed frozen solid for all 4 days as well.

Not to start a war on market storage, but really - supermarkets aren't always a-okay on their storage procedures either.

I really don't think you'll have any problems.

 

[Constance]

Mudbug, you and I think a lot alike.

 

[amber]

Freezer foods should be fine. Fridge, not sure about that. I wouldnt risk food poisoning, even though I think it would be safe if it was kept cold, I would still be thinking "is it safe", so why bother.

 

[bethzaring]

Think of it this way. How often does your refrigerator run? When it runs, that means that the temperature inside has risen enough to warrent the machine to lower the temperature. My frig runs at least a couple times an hour. But I use mine a lot; opening the door, storing warm foods.

I guess I have had too much training in food safety. I think about it a lot, towing foods to gatherings and keeping them safe.

 

[GB]

I know this response it a bit late to help this time around, but for next time, do you have a fridge thermometer? When the power comes back on take a look at the thermometer. Chances are that the temp has not dropped. 4 hours with the doors closed (asssuming the fridge has a good seal) is nothing.

 

[mudbug]

Mudbug, you and I think a lot alike.

It's those superior Illinois-bred brains.

 

[buckytom]

ahem, 'bug, the stuff in your coolers never goes bad. it often improves with age, if ya know what i mean...