The Food Safety Information Council (FSIC) has released advice on how to safely store food during power outages and other emergencies after receiving an increase in consumer enquiries on the matter.
FSIC chair Dr Scott Crerar urged Australians to be prepared as natural disaster events become more frequent, leading to more power outages, a common occurrence across the Yarra Ranges.
Residents are encouraged to check the time when there’s a power outage so they can track how long food is safe for.
“If you are unsure about the time that has passed or the temperature your food has been stored at then throwing the food out is the safest option,” Dr Crerar said.
Food left in a fridge should be immediately eaten after two hours and should be discarded after four.
Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Services (DRERS) chief executive officer Tania Bevan said many residents have requested financial assistance for generator fuel and ice for eskies.
“Our service does not have the facility to store residents’ food during a power outage, but we do have the ability to financially assist people to purchase fuel, ice and contribute to the cost of a generator, and replace any perished food,” Ms Bevan said.
Residents should only open their fridge door when necessary to maximise the time the food will stay fresh for.
Ms Bevan said residents should cook food and use it up before it perishes so it doesn’t go to waste.
But residents should throw out food that was being cooked and didn’t finish when the power went out instead of re-cooking it.
“Re-cooking food will not eliminate the risk of foodborne illness as some bacteria produce a toxin, which is not destroyed at the temperature used to cook or reheat food,” Dr Crerar said.
Due to the increased distance between towns in the Yarra Ranges, Ms Bevan said the inability to access fresh food means residents have to travel further to buy fresh food, worsening the financial strain.
Ms Bevan said “This impacts their fuel or public transport budget, and their time.”
