Staying Fit
Hurricanes, heat waves and other natural disasters heighten the risk of power outages. In the instance of any natural disaster, the initial worries often revolve around long-term concerns such as cleanup, financial rebound and insurance claims. Yet, in the immediate days following the event, a pressing concern might be if you have anything left in your house that is safe to eat.
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Extended power outages can lead to food spoilage, and while the financial hit from losing a fridge full of food is hard to swallow, the hit your health can take from food poisoning — particularly if you're older — is even harder to bear.
“Older adults, especially those 65 or older, are at higher risk from severe illness from the germs that cause food poisoning,” the CDC says. “In fact, nearly half of people 65 or older diagnosed with a foodborne illness like salmonella, E. coli, campylobacter or listeria are hospitalized.”
During a power outage, it’s critical to understand how long the food in your refrigerator and freezer will stay safe to eat. And knowing how to assess your food’s safety and maximize its shelf life is just as crucial. Follow these eight tips from federal food-safety experts to avoid getting sick from spoiled food when you lose power.
Before a power outage
1. Keep the refrigerator at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer at zero degrees or less. This will allow you to maintain the quality of your food longer if you lose electricity. Once the internal temperature of refrigerated and frozen foods goes above 40 degrees, germs that cause foodborne illnesses can begin to multiply.
2. Buy dry ice or block ice to help keep your food cold in the refrigerator longer. Having a cooler and frozen gel packs on hand may be helpful if you need to remove food from the fridge to keep it cold.
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