Know what food is safe during a power outage
Hurricane Sandy wrecked havoc on the tri-state area causing down trees, flooding and power outages.
The power in particular has affected many for at least a week, raising questions and concerns about what is safe to eat in your fridge or freezer.
During an outage, food should be safe as long as the power is out no more than four hours, according to the The United States Department of Agriculture.
The USDA recommends discarding any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers) that have been above 40 °F for more than two hours.
Do not rely on your senses to determine safety. Food should not be tasted and appearance or odor can be misleading.
The best way to establish what food to keep or toss is to evaluate each item separately.
Check out this chart from the USDA of what to do with food that has beed held above 40 °F for more two hours or visit foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/refridg_food.html.
Meat, Poultry, Seafood
Raw or leftover cooked meat, poultry, fish, or seafood; soy meat substitutes: Discard
Thawing meat or poultry: Discard
Salads: Meat, tuna, shrimp, chicken, or egg salad: Discard
Gravy, stuffing, broth: Discard
Lunchmeats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, dried beef: Discard
Pizza – with any topping: Discard
Canned hams labeled "Keep Refrigerated": Discard
Canned meats and fish, opened: Discard
Casseroles, soups, stews: Discard
Cheese
Soft Cheeses: blue/bleu, Roquefort, Brie, Camembert, cottage, cream, Edam, Monterey Jack, ricotta, mozzarella, Muenster, Neufchatel, queso blanco, queso fresco: Discard
Hard Cheeses: Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, provolone, Roman: Safe
Processed Cheeses: Safe
Shredded Cheeses: Discard
Low-fat Cheeses: Discard
Grated Parmesan, Romano, or combination (in can or jar): Safe
Dairy
Milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, evaporated milk, yogurt, eggnog, soy milk: Discard
Butter, margarine: Safe
Baby formula, opened: Discard
Eggs
Fresh eggs, hard-cooked in shell, egg dishes, egg products: Discard
Custards and puddings, quiche: Discard
Fruits
Fresh fruits, cut: Discard
Fruit juices, opened: Safe
Canned fruits, opened: Safe
Fresh fruits, coconut, raisins, dried fruits, candied fruits, dates: Safe
Sauces, Spreads, Jams
Opened mayonnaise, tartar sauce, horseradish: Discard if above 50 °F for over 8 hrs.
Peanut butter: Safe
Jelly, relish, taco sauce, mustard, catsup, olives, pickles: Safe
Worcestershire, soy, barbecue, hoisin sauces: Safe
Fish sauces, oyster sauce: Discard
Opened vinegar-based dressings: Safe
Opened creamy-based dressings: Discard
Spaghetti sauce, opened jar: Discard
Bread, Cakes, Cookies, Pasta, Grains
Bread, rolls, cakes, muffins, quick breads, tortillas: Safe
Refrigerator biscuits, rolls, cookie dough: Discard
Cooked pasta, rice, potatoes: Discard
Pasta salads with mayonnaise or vinaigrette: Discard
Fresh pasta: Discard
Cheesecake: Discard
Breakfast foods –waffles, pancakes, bagels: Safe
Pies, Pastry
Pastries, cream filled: Discard
Pies – custard, cheese filled, or chiffon; quiche: Discard
Pies, fruit: Safe
Vegetables
Fresh mushrooms, herbs, spices: Safe
Greens, pre-cut, pre-washed, packaged: Discard
Vegetables, raw: Safe
Vegetables, cooked; tofu: Discard
Vegetable juice, opened: Discard
Baked potatoes: Discard
Commercial garlic in oil: Discard
Potato salad: Discard
Casseroles, soups, stews: Discard