Power Outages
Food safety during power outages
In emergencies like bushfires, natural disasters, or power outages, following good food safety practices is crucial to protect vulnerable communities from food poisoning. Stay safe and keep your food safe too!
The 4-Hour/2-Hour Rule for Safe Food Storage
Keep food safe during power outages with the 4-hour/2-hour rule:
- Less than 2 hours: Refrigerate or use immediately.
- 2 to 4 hours: Use immediately.
- 4 hours or more: Discard.
Remember to note the time the power went out and, if possible, use a thermometer to track food temperatures. Eat perishable foods first, saving dried and canned items for later.
This advice applies to all potentially hazardous foods except those typically stored at room temperature, like jams and pickles.
Important: If you're unsure how long food has been out or what temperature it's been stored at, it's safest to throw it out.
Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency Handbook Download:
For more information, head to The Food Council's Website.