THE UK is preparing for rollout blackouts as the National Grid announced that it might be the last resort to prevent future household power cuts during cold months.
You might be wondering how your food in the fridge freezer will last for three hours without power.
How long can my fridge freezer go without power?
According to the Food Standards Agency, your fridge freezer will keep your food safe for up to four hours.
Since the blackouts should only last three hours, your food should be safe during these periods.
Try not to open the fridge freezer during the blackout to preserve the food.
If your food is left in the fridge freezer without power for more than four hours, then you should throw perishable foods like meat, eggs, fish, poultry and leftovers away.
The Food Standards Agency states that “when in doubt, throw it out!”
It also advises that you do not taste food to check if it’s safe after a power outage.
Meanwhile, it added that a full freezer will have a safe temperature for up to 48 hours or 24 if it is half full.
The food may be refrozen if it still has ice crystals or is at 4C, but the quality may not be the same.
Households will know ahead if they are going to suffer a blackout, so it is best to plan to buy the least refrigerated foods as much as you can.
That way, you don’t risk having anything going bad and having to throw it away and in the process waste money.
How to preserve food during a blackout
To preserve food during the blackout, you can prepare some freeze containers of water or gel packs.
Have a cooler to place them and the food in, and you can keep some of the food cold that way.
You can also put some dry ice or blocks of ice in your fridge freezer to keep it cold.
Always remember to try not to open the fridge freezer doors during the power cut.
Which appliances should I switch off before a blackout?
Non-essential appliances like TVs and cookers should be unplugged.
This is so that when the power comes back, the surge of electricity doesn’t fry the circuit.
If so, your device may be damaged.
