Food after a power outage: separate four fridge hours from 24/48 freezer hours
With doors kept closed, CDC/FDA guidance distinguishes about four hours for a refrigerator, 48 hours for a full freezer and 24 for a half-full freezer. Cooling sources, actual temperature and ice crystals matter too. Never taste food to decide whether it is safe, and do not apply the fridge time to food left at room temperature.
- Closed-fridge guidance does not apply to perishables left at room temperature.
- Use 40°F (about 4.4°C) and ice-crystal conditions alongside the correct storage time.
Times assume doors stay closed
Four fridge hours and 24/48 freezer hours concern different spaces and conditions. Record when the outage started and limit opening doors so that you can compare the relevant conditions.
| Storage | Approximate time | Condition to inspect |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 4 hours | Cold source/cooler to keep perishables cold afterwards |
| Full freezer | 48 hours | Door stays closed |
| Half-full freezer | 24 hours | Door stays closed |
These times do not guarantee every food remains safe. Consider actual door opening, food temperature and any separate cold source such as ice.
After four fridge hours, inspect cold storage
CDC advises transferring perishable refrigerated food to a cooler with ice, if available after a four-hour outage, to keep it at 40°F (about 4.4°C) or below. Discard perishables such as meat, fish, eggs, milk and leftovers after four hours without power or a cold source such as ice.
Do not apply the closed-fridge four-hour period to food already taken out. FDA says to discard perishables held at room temperature for two hours or more, or one hour or more above 90°F (about 32.2°C).
For example, after a documented three hours with the door kept closed, plan cooling and temperature checks instead of repeatedly opening it. At five hours without ice cooling, restored power does not erase the preceding time. Cooling food again and assessing its previous storage are different tasks.
Judge frozen food by ice crystals and temperature
When power returns, inspect the freezer thermometer. CDC/FDA say food retaining ice crystals or at 40°F (about 4.4°C) or below can be refrozen or cooked. This is an actual-condition check alongside the time table.
A full freezer's 48-hour guidance does not give the same condition to food after 30 hours in a half-full freezer. Conversely, do not decide the fate of every frozen item from elapsed time alone without checking temperature and ice crystals. FDA also says appearance or smell alone cannot establish safety.
Do not taste food when timing is unknown
If outage timing, cooling or temperature records are unclear, do not try a bite. CDC says to throw out food when you are unsure it is safe. Do not eat food with unusual smell, color or texture either.
- Record outage and restoration times.
- Separate refrigerator, freezer and any cooler.
- Check temperature and ice crystals in frozen food.
- Do not taste-test food whose conditions are unknown.
Do not apply this table to flood-exposed food. Water-contacted food and packaging present a separate contamination problem; follow CDC/FDA flooding guidance.
Sources & updates
- Official information FDA — Official guidance ↗
Door-closed storage and room-temperature limits during an outage, then temperature and ice-crystal checks after restoration.
- Official information CDC — Official guidance ↗
Fridge/freezer timing, ice cooling after four hours, discarding perishables without a cold source and refreezing conditions.
Information checked