What Survives a 5-Hour Power Outage in the Fridge? 🧀🥓
A 5-hour power outage can be nerve-wracking, especially when it comes to food safety. The FDA guideline is clear: refrigerated food is generally safe for up to 4 hours if the door stays closed. With a new fridge and everything still cold to the touch, most items should be fine, but some caution is needed. Hard cheeses like cheddar are resilient and likely safe. Milk and yogurt, if still cold, are probably okay, but check for any off smells or changes in texture. Bacon and polony, being processed meats, usually handle short outages well if kept cold. Unopened orange juice is also low risk. The biggest concern is the opened mayonnaise and guacamole—both are more sensitive to temperature changes and can spoil quickly. If there’s any doubt about their smell or texture, it’s safer to toss them. When in doubt, safety comes first. Foodborne illness isn’t worth the risk.
#Food knowledge #foodsafety #poweroutage #fridgelife
