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Category: Kitchen Topic: Kitchen Troubleshooting & Safety Type: Guide

Power Outage Food Safety Chart: What to Keep and What to Throw Away

Use this chart after a household power outage.

Updated 4 min read Researched Not hands-on tested
Emergency utility workers controlling traffic near downed power lines after a wind storm
FEMA utility-response photograph after a Washington wind storm. Downed lines are an emergency hazard; do not approach them. Photo by Marvin Nauman/FEMA via Wikimedia Commons (U.S. federal government work; public domain in the United States) · Public domain (U.S. federal government work) · Source

Use this chart after a household power outage.

The basic rules are:

  • Refrigerator: about 4 hours if unopened
  • Full freezer: about 48 hours if unopened
  • Half-full freezer: about 24 hours if unopened
  • Refreeze frozen food that still has ice crystals or is 40°F or below
  • Discard perishable food that was above 40°F for more than 2 hours
  • Use a 1-hour limit for perishable food outside temperature control when the air temperature is above 90°F
  • Never taste food to decide whether it is safe[1][2][3]

Download: Power Outage Food Safety Chart (PDF)
Printable PDF, no email address required.

Preview of page one of the printable Power Outage Food Safety Chart
The four-page letter-size chart opens directly as a PDF and requires no email address or account. How Biscuit printable chart preview · Source

Refrigerator decision chart

Approximate refrigerator and freezer planning limits with doors kept closed

Approximate household planning limits when appliances start cold and doors remain closed.

SituationDecision
Power off 4 hours or less; door stayed closedRefrigerated food should generally remain safe
Power off longer than 4 hours; perishables not moved to verified cold storageDiscard refrigerated perishables
Perishable food kept in cooler at 40°F or belowKeep while temperature remains verified
Perishable food above 40°F for more than 2 hoursDiscard
Time above 40°F is unknownDiscard
Food smells normalSmell does not prove safety
Food exposed to floodwater or raw-meat leakageUse contamination guidance; discard when required

Freezer decision chart

SituationDecision
Full freezer, unopened, outage under about 48 hoursFood may remain safely frozen; verify afterward
Half-full freezer, unopened, outage under about 24 hoursFood may remain safely frozen; verify afterward
Food still contains ice crystalsRefreeze or cook, subject to item-specific guidance
Food is fully thawed but 40°F or belowRefreeze or cook; quality may decline
Perishable food above 40°F for more than 2 hoursDiscard
Soft or melted ice cream or frozen yogurtDiscard
Raw-meat juices contaminated another itemDiscard contaminated item
Time and temperature unknownDiscard

Common refrigerated foods

A real refrigerator containing sealed leftovers, dairy, eggs, produce, bread, and cheese
A USDA photograph of refrigerated food. Appearance alone cannot establish whether food stayed at a safe temperature during an outage. Photo by Lance Cheung/USDA via Wikimedia Commons (U.S. federal government work; public domain in the United States) · Public domain (U.S. federal government work) · Source

Discard after unsafe warming

  • Meat
  • Poultry
  • Seafood
  • Milk
  • Eggs
  • Soft cheese
  • Deli meat
  • Leftovers
  • Pizza
  • Cooked rice and pasta
  • Cooked vegetables
  • Cut melon
  • Packaged cut greens
  • Cream-filled pastries
  • Custard or cream pies

May remain safe under USDA guidance

  • Hard cheese
  • Processed cheese
  • Butter and margarine
  • Whole fruits and vegetables
  • Bread and rolls
  • Fruit pies
  • Peanut butter
  • Jelly
  • Mustard
  • Ketchup
  • Pickles
  • Relish
  • Flour and nuts

Use the official item-specific chart for foods not listed here.

During the outage

  • Keep doors closed.
  • Write down the outage start time.
  • Prepare a cooler if the outage will exceed four hours.
  • Add ice or gel packs.
  • Keep cooler food at 40°F or below.
  • Group frozen food together.
  • Use dry ice only with proper gloves, ventilation, and handling.
  • Do not put food outside in snow.
  • Do not taste questionable food.

When power returns

  1. Check the appliance thermometer.
  2. Check the most exposed freezer packages.
  3. Look for ice crystals.
  4. Measure individual food when needed.
  5. Separate leaking raw foods.
  6. Keep, refreeze, cook, or discard each item.
  7. Clean contaminated surfaces.
  8. Record what was discarded for insurance or assistance documentation when relevant.

Refrigerator and freezer thermometer targets

  • Refrigerator: 40°F or below
  • Freezer: 0°F or below during normal operation
  • Outage refreezing threshold: 40°F or below, or ice crystals remain

Keep one appliance thermometer in each compartment.

Important limitations

The time estimates assume:

  • The appliance was cold before the outage
  • Doors stayed closed
  • The appliance was functioning normally
  • Food was not already left out
  • No floodwater or chemical contamination occurred

This chart does not override:

  • Product labels
  • A public-health recall
  • Flood contamination guidance
  • Instructions for medically necessary foods or medications
  • Advice from a local health department during a specific emergency

Help

For food-safety questions, FoodSafety.gov directs consumers to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854 and Ask USDA.[1]

Seek medical advice if someone develops symptoms of foodborne illness, especially if they are pregnant, older, very young, immunocompromised, or seriously ill.

Sources reviewed

Source notes

  1. Avoid Foodborne Illness During Temporary Power OutagesFoodSafety.gov
  2. Keeping Food Safe During an EmergencyUSDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
  3. Food and Water Safety During Power Outages and FloodsU.S. Food and Drug Administration
  4. Discarding Food After a Power OutageCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
  5. Appliance ThermometersUSDA Food Safety and Inspection Service

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