By News-Register staff • 

If power is out, be careful about food safety

Power outages that last for hours or days can leave food spoiling in refrigerators and freezers. 

The Oregon Office of Emergency Management is reminding residents to be cautious of consuming food that may not have been stored at the proper temperature.

Sniff food and look at it carefully to figure out if it's still good, managers said. Don't taste it.

A full freezer will hold the temperature for about 48 hours, a half-full one for about 24 hours. Keep the freezer door shut to maintain the cold temperature. Adding a bag of ice will help if the power remains off for an extended period.

Ice can be added to the refrigerator to maintain its temperature, too. Keep the door closed as much as possible.

Use a food thermometer to check food before cooking it. Throw away food that has reached 40 degrees or higher.

In particular, meat, poultry, fish and eggs need to be refrigerated at or below 40°F and frozen food at or below 0°F. Mayonaisse, or salads made with mayo, are among the most vulnerable items, as well.

For more food safety tips, go to www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HealthyEnvironments/FoodSafety/Pages/tips.aspx. 

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