Recent storms in the news and the approach of hurricane season should make us think about how to handle perishable food when the freezer stops working. The loss of power could jeopardize the safety of frozen food.

Plan ahead to keep food cold. When your freezer is not full, keep items close together — this helps the food stay cold longer. A full freezer uses less energy as well as keeping food colder. Fill empty spaces with frozen, plastic jugs of water, bags of ice, or gel packs. (You can also use this ice to chill refrigerated foods if the refrigerator is affected too.) The normal setting for a freezer is 0 F or below. However, if you anticipate a power outage, it is a good idea to set the freezer between minus 10 F and minus 20 F. The colder the food, the more slowly it thaws. Know where you can obtain dry ice or block ice. Keep an appliance thermometer in the freezer to determine the warmest temperature of the food, in the event food starts to thaw. And keep the door closed when the electricity is off.

A full freezer will keep foods cold for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full). Food in the front of the freezer, in the door, or in small, thin packages will thaw faster than large, thick items or food in the back or bottom of the unit.

There are numerous tests to determine if the freezer was off and you were not aware of it. One involves putting a few ice cubes in a sealed plastic bag or freezer container. Choose a sealed container so that the ice cube does not evaporate and disappear. If the ice cube has melted from its original shape, you will know the power was off for an extended period of time, that the food has refrozen, and that it may not be safe to use.

Never taste food to determine its safety. Some foods may look and smell fine but may contain bacteria that can cause illnesses. Temperature is the key to food safety. Generally, foods that stay at 40 F or below can be safely refrozen if the color and odor are good and the packages show no signs of spoilage. Food can be refrozen if it still contains ice crystals and/or has not been above 40 F for more than two hours. Evaluate each item separately. Discard any items that have come into contact with raw meat juices.

Partial thawing and refreezing may reduce the quality of some food, but the food will remain safe to eat. Plain frozen fruits and vegetables (with no sauce) may be cooked and refrozen if they show no signs of spoilage. Fruits usually ferment when they start to spoil, which does not make them unsafe, but will make the flavor objectionable.

If ice cream is partially thawed, throw it out because the texture of ice cream is not acceptable after thawing and refreezing. Refreeze creamed foods, and pudding and cream pies, only if they were always at 40 F or below. Breads, nuts, doughnuts, cookies and cakes can be refrozen if they show no signs of mold growth. When in doubt about the safety of any food, throw it out.

In a snowstorm or cold weather, it may be tempting to use the snow as a freezer. However, frozen food can thaw if it is exposed to the sun’s rays, even when the temperature is very cold. Food temperature could be raised enough to allow growth of food-borne bacteria. Additionally, foods could be exposed to unsanitary conditions or to animals that may harbor bacteria or disease. If it is cold enough, take advantage of the cold temperature to make ice in empty milk cartons, cans or buckets, and put the homemade ice in your freezer.

If you have food preservation questions, a home economist is available to answer questions on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., by calling 717-394-6851 or writing Penn State Extension, Lancaster County, 1383 Arcadia Road, Room 140, Lancaster, PA 17601.

The Well Preserved news column is prepared by Penn State Extension.

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