How to store food without electricity so that it does not spoil: the best tips

To save electricity, power is periodically cut off throughout Ukraine. This causes a variety of household problems. For example, storing food in an unplugged refrigerator.

The Center for Public Health of Ukraine informs on how to do this correctly to keep food safe for some time on its official Facebook page.

Chilled or frozen food can be dangerous to eat in the event of a power outage. Here are tips to help keep your food safe to eat:

Make sure the refrigerator and freezer are at a safe temperature. The temperature in the refrigerator should be 4°C or lower. The freezer should be 0°C or below.

Prepare for an emergency. Freeze containers of water so that you can keep your food at 4°C or below if you have to remove food from the refrigerator. If possible, purchase dry ice or block ice.

Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed after the power has been cut off. If the doors are closed, food remains safe for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator, 48 hours in a full freezer, and 24 hours in a half-empty freezer. If the power is out for more than 4 hours, place ice in the refrigerator with the food.

Never taste food to check if it is safe. If in doubt, throw it away. Throw away perishable foods (meat, fish, cut fruits and vegetables, eggs, dairy products, and leftovers) after 4 hours without electricity or a cold source. Discard any food with an unusual odor, color, or texture.

Check the temperature of food stored in the freezer or in a refrigerator with an additional cold source. Discard the food if the temperature is above 4°C. You can check this with a thermometer in the fridge or freezer.

You can safely re-freeze or cook frozen foods that still contain ice crystals or are at a temperature of 4°C or below.