With the doors closed the temperature can be maintained for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator and 24 hours in the freezer; check out tips and directions
ST. PAUL – The lack of electricity in some parts of the city of Sao Paulo has lasted for more than 40 hours, and the times for complete restoration are long: until Tuesday 7th. According to Enel, responsible for the service in the capital of Sao Paulo, around 1 million customers remain without electricity, especially in the south and west, due to the damage caused by the heavy rains. In this scenario, families are faced with various hardships, losses and doubts, for example: what to do with the food in the refrigerator?
Unexpected thawing of items can lead not only to waste, but also to health problems due to contamination caused by the proliferation of microorganisms at room temperature.
According to the Ministry of Health, temperatures between 5ºC and 60ºC allow the proliferation of pathogens; below this limit, the microorganisms become inactive. At higher temperatures they are eliminated with heat. Below, read some tips for maintaining the refrigerator temperature in the absence of electricity.
Avoid opening
Opening the refrigerator causes a loss of temperature. So the tip here is simple: avoid opening and closing and try to keep the box sealed for as long as possible.
The Ministry of Health specifies that, with the doors closed, the temperature can be kept for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator and up to 24 hours in the freezer.
Buy blocks of ice
To help maintain the temperature, it is a recommendation from the ministry buy blocks of ice. Another possibility is to use Styrofoam e refrigerators to preserve food.
In this case, be careful to prevent the ice blocks from melting. Be prepared to replenish if necessary.
“It is worth remembering that if food has been exposed to temperatures above 5°C for more than 2 hours, it must be thrown away”, specifies the Ministry of Health.
Discard spoiled food
Here too the rule is clear: throw away all perishable foods (meat, chicken, fish and eggs) that may have remained for more than two hours at a temperature above 5ºC.
Don’t be put off by the look or smell of the food either – not looking moldy doesn’t mean it’s fit for consumption.
Take care of your kitchen
If you plan to consume the food or lunchbox that was in the refrigerator during the power outage, be careful that it is exposed to room temperature for up to two hours: if it doesn’t last longer, it should be discarded. Otherwise consumption is free.
When you reheat the dish, remember to do it on the stove and They work well in the heat, which helps kill microorganisms. The microwave is not the most suitable method as cooking is not uniform.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
