A concern that many customers have during a lengthy power outage is the safety of the food in their refrigerator and freezer. Here are a few facts and tips that could make a difference during an outage.

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperatures.
• According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, meat, poultry, fish, and eggs should be refrigerated at or below 40°F and frozen food should be kept at or below 0°F. Maintaining these temperatures may be difficult when the power is out, so keep appliance thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer at all times. When the power is out, the appliance thermometers will help you know if the food is being kept at safe temperatures.
• Depending on how warm the kitchen is, much of the food in your refrigerator will last four to six hours without power. You may be able to extend that time if you know severe weather is coming and you set the refrigerator and freezer controls to the coldest settings before a power outage occurs. Remember to reset them after the storm threat has passed. You can add a block of regular ice or dry ice to the refrigerator to help keep food cold longer. Special precautions must be taken when handling dry ice to prevent contact with your skin.
• A freezer that's fully loaded may keep foods safely frozen up to 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. Listen to local radio stations or check our Web site for any announcements about a nearby distribution point for dry or regular ice. Or, if you know a storm is coming, fill several milk or juice cartons with water and freeze as emergency ice blocks.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service offers these guidelines for when to save and when to throw out refrigerated and frozen foods: