Areas of the Maritimes are beginning to see power restored after the damaging effects of hurricane Dorian.
As the lights turn back on, it’s important to remember that not everything in your fridge stayed edible during the power outage.
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Here are some of the guidelines that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) says you should be aware of when handling refrigerated and frozen food after a power failure.
A full freezer will keep food frozen for about 48 hours while an unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours.
If any food has thawed and been at room temperature for two or more hours, the CFIA recommends that you throw it out. That goes for any food that has an obvious unusual colour or odour.
It’s also important to remember that food contaminated with bacteria does not necessarily smell bad or appear spoiled.
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Food that still contains ice crystals or feels refrigerator-cold can be re-frozen while raw.
The CFIA says that when in doubt of the safety of the food in your refrigerator, it’s better to throw it out.