Along with power outages comes the concern of food safety and water well contamination that may be experienced during the loss of power outages. According to Sheri Faust of the St. Clair County Health Department you should keep these things in mind.
- When in doubt, throw it out – Discard any food that has been at room temperature for four hours or more, and any food that has an unusual odor, color, or texture – . Throw away any food that has a temperature of more than 40º Fahrenheit.
- For the freezer – A freezer that is half full will hold food safely for up to 24 hours. A full freezer will hold food safely for 48 hours.
. A water well that is being reactivated after an extended period of shutdown must be disinfected
For more information about water well disinfection, assessing damaged foods, and when to save and when to throw out refrigerated and frozen foods, fact sheets can be found on the Health Department’s website at www.stclaircounty.org/offices/
