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FEATURE SCRIPT - Keeping Food
Safe During an Emergency? |
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INTRO: When seasonal storms knock
out the power, what steps can you take to keep your
food safe? The USDA has some answers, as Pat O'Leary
reports.
Pat O'Leary (Voice-Over): "This is an Emergency: A storm or other sudden event has
knocked out the power. But you're prepared, if
you've followed the advice of the experts at the U.S.
Department of Agriculture."
Susan Conley, USDA Food Safety & Inspection
Service: "When the power goes out the most important thing is
to keep the doors of the refrigerator and the freezer
closed. Resist the urge to go checking and see how
things are doing in there, because you want to keep
the cold air inside for as long as possible.
"A fully stocked freezer should stay safe for about 2
days if you don't open the door, and if it's half
full, about a day. The refrigerator will probably
stay safe only for about 4 hours after losing power.
"If it looks like the power is going to be out for
an extended period of time there are a number of
things you can do. First thing is you can buy blocks
of ice or dry ice to put in the refrigerator or
freezer. You can also take the items and put them
into a cooler with the frozen gel products."
Pat O'Leary (Voice Over): "The idea
is to keep refrigerated food at 40 degrees and frozen
foods at zero degrees. Appliance thermometers
and digital food thermometers come in handy."
Conley: "You can use the food thermometer at the end of the power outage
to check the temperature of the foods. Any perishable
food item should be no warmer than 40 degrees."
Pat O'Leary (Voice Over): "If
you have advance warning of a power loss, be ready by
grouping foods closely together in the fridge and
freezer, stacking dry foods above the possible flood
line; and having a plan B for what to eat."
Susan Conley: "Stock some
shelf stable food items. And always remember a can
opener, a non-electric can opener. For a very handy
storage chart that helps you assess when to save or
when to throw out foods in a power out situation, you
can go to
www.fsis.usda.gov."
Pat O'Leary (Voice Over): "Or
call the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline at
1-888-MPHotline. Pat O'Leary reporting for the U.S.
Department of Agriculture."
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