2. Sudden or Unplanned Power Cuts
This doesn’t allow much time for you to safely store your foods, but there are
some steps you can take as follows:
Your food will remain safe in your refrigerator for 2 hours.
If you have sufficient space in the freezer after 2 hours you should remove
foods from the fridge and place them in the freezer or esky with ice bricks.
Do not open the freezer door unless necessary as this will reduce the time the
contents will remain frozen.
If your freezer is efficient and its door seals are in good condition it can
maintain foods in a frozen state for between 1 and 2½ days.
Relatives, friends or neighbours may be able to provide alternative storage.
Disposal of Food
Wrap in newspaper and place in the rubbish bin. A small volume of food may be
safely buried.
Where larger quantities have to be disposed of your local shire council’s
Environmental Health Officer should be contacted to organise disposal and burial.
(Without correct disposal, fly breeding may result and increase the risk of the
spread of infectious diseases).
Food Safety Advice
If you need further advice or are concerned about the safety of any food you have
stored, contact your local government council’s Environmental Health Officer
or
Environmental Health Directorate
Food Unit
PO Box 8172, Stirling Street,
Produced in collaboration with:
Perth WA 6849
Curtin University of Technology School of
Telephone: 9388 4999
Public Health
PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA
Facsimile: 9388 4955
© Department of Health 2008
HP 10311 Jan’08 22138
The ‘4 hour/2 hour rule’ is summarised below:
Any-ready-to-eat food is potentially hazardous, if it has been at temperatures
o
o
between 5 C and 60 C:
for a total of less than 2 hours, must be refrigerated or used immediately;
for a total of longer than 2 hours but less than 4 hours, must be used
immediately; or
for a total of 4 hours or longer must be thrown out.
During Power Cuts
When the power cuts off
During Power Cuts
Food Stored in Freezers
Freezers that are in good condition
and operate at minus 15oC or
below can keep foods frozen for
between 1 and 2½ days.
Modern refrigeration systems maintain food at safe temperatures and assist in
reducing the growth of food spoilage and food poisoning organisms.
Food Stored in Refrigerators/chillers
Your food will remain safe in your
refrigerator for 2 hours. If more
than 4 hours throw it out!
It is very important that the
doors of freezers are not opened
unless necessary as this will
reduce the time the contents will
remain frozen.
Remember that some food types,
eg., ice cream will become soft
and begin to suffer separation
long before other foods defrost,
although there is no safety issue,
such foods become icy when
refrozen and may not be useable
after defrosting and refreezing.
Foods that have partly defrosted
or defrosted but remain very cold
(5oC or less) can be refrozen.
Food stored in a freezer reaching
more than 5oC for up to 2 hours
you have 2 options:
1. Refrigerate at less than 5oC or
refreeze.
2. Consume immediately.
Food in a freezer at more than 5oC
for more than 2 hours but less than
4 hours, consume immediately or
throw out.
Food stored in a freezer for more
than 4 hours at more than 5oC
should be thrown out.
When a power cut is ongoing i.e. for more than 4 hours and there is no
immediate likelihood of reconnection, food safety becomes an important issue.
Don’t open the fridge door during the
power cut, unless necessary.
Unless cold storage is available within 2 hours of a power cut all potentially
hazardous foods that are stored in refrigerators or chillers need to be placed in
alternative cold storage, consumed immediately or disposed of if another cold
storage area is not immediately available. (See “Disposal of Food” over page)
In this guide time and temperature are the most important measurements that
can be taken to determine whether food is likely to be safe or needs to be
regarded as potentially unsafe.
If available, use a watch and a thermometer to determine whether food is safe
by following the time and temperature recommendations in the guide.
The best option is to find
immediate refrigerated storage or
place items in the freezer. They
can then be stored for between 1
and 2½ days.
If this is not possible:
Remove ice bricks etc. from freezer
and place in esky/s.
If a thermometer is not available using time and estimating temperatures will
have to suffice.
Remove all meats, poultry, dairy and
ready-to-eat food (dips, pate, small
goods such as ham and salami) from
chiller/fridges and place in esky with
ice/ice bricks.
The advice offered in this pamphlet refers to any or all cooked or ready to
eat foods except those normally kept at room temperature.
Important note: If you are unsure that the parameters listed are being met
disposal is the safest option.
Place the ice or ice bricks
throughout the stored food to
prevent hot spots developing. Make
sure the lid of the esky has a good
seal.
1. Planned Power Cuts
The day or night before power is cut off prepare in advance to store food
safely as follows:
If possible, try to organise in advance alternative refrigerated storage for
example with relatives, friends or neighbours,
Avoid purchasing food that requires frozen or refrigerated storage until after
the power is reinstated.
Adjust the refrigerator to its coldest setting and remove fresh fruit and
vegetables to prevent them being damaged, and store them at room
temperature.
Adjust your freezer to its coldest setting.
Place ice bricks, or freeze large blocks of ice, in the freezer for later use.
If you can freeze some of the items from your fridge for use later that is a
very safe option and is best done well before the power cut.
If the food stored in an esky or
refrigerator reaches more than 5oC for
less than 2 hours you have 2 options:
1. Refrigerate at less than 5oC or
if available freeze.
2. Use immediately.
Food stored in a refrigerator at
more than 5oC for more than 2
hours but less than 4 hours, use
immediately or throw out.
Food in a refrigerator or esky at
more than 5oC for 4 hours or more
should be thrown out.