If in doubt, chuck it out

If in doubt, chuck it out – that’s the message from Noosa Council’s Environmental Health Department following widespread power outages.

Environmental Health Coordinator Geoff Atherfold said taking chances on food that had either defrosted or gone unrefrigerated for lengthy periods wasn’t worth the risk.

“Keep the fridge and freezer doors shut as much as possible during a blackout to keep the cold air in, and never re-freeze any food that has defrosted,” he said.

“Instead, defrosted food should be eaten as soon as possible after it thaws out.

“A quality freezer, with good door seals, should be able to keep food from spoiling for a day without power, but the door must be kept shut. Food in the fridge should typically stay cold for four hours without power, but again, it’s important to keep the door shut.”

Mr Atherfold said food that was cooking during a power failure should be thrown out, if it is not possible to finish cooking it within two hours.

“Don’t attempt to re-cook partially-cooked food if it’s been left to cool for any longer,” he said.

“Try to make a note of the time when the power goes out, so you can keep track of how long your fridge and freezer have been off.

“But when it comes to food, if there is any doubt about it, it’s best to chuck it out,” Mr Atherfold said.

Noosa’s Disaster Coordinator Alan ‘Fox’ Rogers said Energex was working hard to reconnect 8613 homes and businesses that were still without power.

“This has been the second largest power outage experienced in the local region, second to the one Ex-Tropical Cyclone Oswald caused in 2013,” Mr Rogers said.

31 March 2017