If a power outage paralyzes the fridge or the freezer breaks, you should never frantically try to move the groceries. It might do them more harm.
In the event of a power outage, it is best to leave the freezers and refrigerators alone. Because contrary to what is often assumed, even the frosty zones do not thaw quickly.
So the best thing you can do with the food inside in the event of a power failure or the appliance itself is not to open the compartments and not let warm air in. This is pointed out by the HEA – professional association for efficient energy use.
This even applies to the small freezer compartments in refrigerators with only one star for the lowest cooling temperature of no more than minus six degrees. You can store most frozen food in good condition for up to three days. The reason is the good insulation of the devices.
This cools in normal operation at minus twelve degrees and colder. The three- and four-star compartments have a temperature of minus 18 degrees and colder. At these lower temperatures, frozen food is stored safely for even longer.
But what you need to know: The manufacturer’s instructions for use often refer to a storage period in the event of a fault. “This is the number of hours in which the food warms up from minus 18 degrees to minus 9 degrees with a fully loaded appliance. This time is shorter with a partial load,” according to the HEA experts. “Minus 9 degrees is still a safe storage temperature.”
Some devices also emit a beep in the event of a power failure. And when the electricity is back, by pressing an alarm button you can also query the highest internal temperature reached during the incident. This makes it easier to assess whether you should throw away your supplies after all.
By the way: According to HEA, some manufacturers offer an emergency service that can be reached by telephone at any time in the event of a technical failure of a device. The numbers can be found online or in the owner’s manual.
It is more difficult to predict how long the food will be stored in the normal cold room in the refrigerator, says Claudia Oberascher, Head of Department at HEA. The cold doesn’t last that long here, but it’s best for well-insulated devices with an intact seal.
Here, too, the device expert advises: If possible, do not open the door of the refrigerator during the power failure, or at least only rarely and briefly.
“It’s best to trust your nose afterwards: what smells good is usually okay,” says Oberascher. “Meat, fresh sausage and above all fish and seafood, especially minced meat, are critical. To be on the safe side, this should be disposed of.”
