The USDA notes that your refrigerator will keep food safe for a few hours during a power outage. After that time, the safest bet is to start discarding perishable food.
Food safety tips to keep in mind during an outage:
Keep your refrigerator cold. Turn your refrigerator to the coldest setting so that your food will last longer during an outage.
Keep the fridge & freezer doors shut – as much as possible to keep the cool air in.
Never taste food to see if it’s gone bad – that can be a recipe for food poisoning
After 2 hours in a fridge above 40 degrees – discard all prepared items and cooked leftovers, meats, poultry, seafood, mayo-based salads, casseroles, soups, stews, pizza, breakfast and lunch meats, eggs and egg-based dishes, canned biscuits and cookie dough, soft and shredded cheeses, milk and dairy products, cooked pasta and potatoes, cut vegetables.
After 2 hours in a freezer above 40 degrees – discard all frozen meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products and pre-package frozen meals.
