The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development issued food and drinking water safety reminders Monday evening as extreme winter weather left tens of thousands of Michiganders without power.
Per a Dec. 29 news release, MDARD advised residents to keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain safe internal temperatures during an outage.
Perishable refrigerated foods including meats, poultry, fish, dairy products, eggs and leftovers should be thrown out if they reach temperatures warmer than 40 degrees for more than two hours, the department said.
Frozen foods that thaw and reach temperatures above 40 degrees should also be discarded, MDARD said.
The department said refrigerated foods will generally be safe as long as power is not out for more than a few hours and refrigerator and freezer doors have remained closed. MDARD also advised discarding any food that becomes moldy or has an unusual color or odor.
A full, freestanding freezer that remains closed will stay at freezing temperatures for about two days, while a half-full freezer will stay at freezing temperatures for about one day, the department said. If the freezer is not full, MDARD advised grouping packages together so they stay colder longer.
MDARD said long-term storage of food outside or in snow is not advised because outside temperatures can vary by the hour, frozen food can thaw when exposed to the sun’s rays and perishable items could be exposed to unsanitary conditions or animals.
If food must be stored outside temporarily, the department advised placing it in a nonpermeable plastic container or cooler, keeping it out of direct sunlight and monitoring its temperature often.
If residents choose to use dry ice to keep food cool, MDARD advised using gloves to prevent frostbite injury and ensuring proper ventilation because outgassing can cause elevated carbon dioxide levels in the blood if gas builds up.
The department said dry ice should be set on cardboard or newspaper to avoid direct contact with shelving to prevent cracking. MDARD said 25 pounds of dry ice placed on the top shelf of a freezer should maintain freezing temperatures in a 10-cubic-foot freezer for about four days, and a smaller amount can be placed on the bottom shelf of a refrigerator.
The department said if structural damage or flooding occurs due to ice, snow or wind events, residents should discard any foods contacted by flood waters or debris.
If a water supply has sustained damage from winter storms, MDARD advised drinking only approved water such as commercially bottled water and following any boil water alerts issued by health and safety personnel, especially for water used for washing or cooking.
MDARD advised discarding any food items that may contain particles of glass or slivers of debris and throwing away cans of food that are dented or have broken seams.
For more food safety tips, MDARD directed residents to Michigan’s food safety website.