With summer on the way, the Central Australia Health Service is reminding people living in Central Australia to take note of food safety.
“The recent power outage in Alice Springs is a timely cue that food safety is vital for the wellbeing of you and your family,” Environmental Health Manager Fiona Smith said.
“Being prepared is the key to food safety during power outages so make sure you have enough dried or shelf-stable foo in the pantry to last 72 hours. You can then supplement this by utilising produce from your fridge first, and then the contents of your freezer.
“If the water supply has been disrupted then you should use water that has been boiled or bottled water for food preparation,” Ms Smith said.
Take note of following food safety tips, but the most important thing to remember is If In Doubt – Throw It Out!
What to do DURING A POWER OUTAGE
· Record the time the power outage starts to know how long food has been without refrigeration.
· Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible and only open when absolutely necessary. This will keep the food and air temperature colder for longer.
· Place refrigerated food together to keep food cool/colder longer.
· Place meat, poultry or fish in the coldest section of the refrigerator, making sure it does not drip onto fresh fruit and vegetables or other ready-to-eat foods.
· If necessary, use ice to help keep the food cold.
How long will my food stay cold?
· A closed refrigerator should keep food cool for four–six hours.
· Kept closed, a full freezer should keep food frozen for up to 48 hours, while a half-full freezer should keep your food frozen for up to 24 hours.
· The rate of thawing depends on:
- the amount of food in the freezer – remember a full freezer stays colder than one that is partially full.
- the temperature of the food – the colder the food, the longer it will stay frozen.
- the size and insulation of the freezer.
If cooking was interrupted by THE power failure
· Discard food that was being cooked when the power outage started.
· In the case of properly cooked hot food, eat it within four hours or throw it out.
· Do not put hot food in your refrigerator or freezer since this will cause the refrigerator or freezer to warm up much faster.
What to do when the power comes back on
If the power is restored within four to six hours and the refrigerator/freezer doors have remained closed, some of the food may still be suitable for use. Use a thermometer to check if the temperature of food in the freezer is 0oC or lower or if ice crystals are visible in the food. If so, the food can be re-frozen, otherwise throw out.
If the food in the fridge is above 5oC:
· for less than two hours, re-refrigerate or use the food immediately.
· for between two and four hours, the food can be used, but must be used immediately.
· for longer than four hours, throw the food out.
The appearance or smell of food is not a reliable indicator of food safety. Some foods may look and smell fine, but if it has been warm too long, it may contain enough bacteria to make people ill. Any food that has an obvious strange colour or odour should be discarded.
If raw food – especially meat, poultry and fish – thaw and drip juices, clean and disinfect all affected areas in the fridge or freezer, as well as any countertops, cutting boards and utensils.
For more information about Food Safety please go to https://nt.gov.au/search?query=food+safety
Media Contact: Gail Turner – 0476 839 383