When the current goes out, the fate of the fridge and the freezer immediately worries. Here’s how to prevent all their content from getting lost.
When a power cut occurs, it is the whole permanent house. The screens go out, the lamps darken, and in the kitchens, a unusual silence settles.
The constant purring Refrigerators and freezers suddenly interrupts, giving way to an expectation full of uncertainty. These devices, which we imagine infallible, are then reduced to simple closed boxes which we do not know how long they can preserve their contents.
In these suspended moments, a question inevitably comes up: What becomes of food When cold chain breakseven for only a few hours?
The bad reflex in the face of a power outage
When electricity is stopped, the first movement is oftenOpen the refrigerator immediately or the freezer to check the condition of the provisions. It is however the worst idea: each opening let in hot air And accelerates the increase in interior temperature.
In other words, the more we resists temptation To take a look, the longer the food will remain preserved. There shelf life Then depends on the filling of the device.
A closed refrigerator can maintain the cold Between four and six hoursbut he warms all the more quickly since he is little stocked. The freezer offers more margin: a forty hours If it is full, against only one day if it is half empty.
As for the small ice cube compartmenthe only protects the frozen a few hours. However, gaps exist from one model to another, and the user manual remains the best reference.
Anticipate and manage a power outage
When theelectricity is interrupteda simple gesture can make the difference. Even before the cut, it is possible to give a little boost to your devices.
Place meats, fish, dairy products and other fragile foodstuffs in the colder area from the refrigerator, add a few ice creams as we would in a cooler, or even cover the doors with a thick cover To slow down the temperature rise, indicates Magicmaman.
These apparently modest precautions are enough to prolong the freshness Foods and avoid unpleasant surprises if the breakdown continues. When the current returns, the patience remains your best ally.
No need to rush on the handle of the refrigerator or freezer: it is better to leave the device for the time of Find its normal temperaturefollowing the deadlines indicated by the manufacturer. Then the eye and smell must take over.
Foods still hard or covered with frost can be consumed, as are products that have not changed in appearance. Conversely, any suspicious odor, any unusual texture is an alert signal: it is better to throw away than risk intoxication.
And Good cleaning of the fridge or the freezer before filling them again will finally leave on healthy bases.
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An editor passionate about taste exploration, I like it as much to share my favorite recipes as to feasting on myself. Behind my pen? 100 % tested and approved content. When my heart does not …
