Spain's public health service advises to throw away these foods after four-hour blackout

The Spanish agency for food safety and nutrition (Aesan) recommends assessing each product separately following a series of instructions

SUR

Tuesday, 29 April 2025, 20:17

The Spanish agency for food safety and nutrition (Aesan) has published a series of recommendations on food stored in fridges and freezers following the blackout. The main advice is to throw away perishable foods such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, fresh cheese or leftovers if the power cut lasts more than four hours.

According to Aesan, it is possible that some foods may spoil and will, therefore, have to be discarded as a result of the electricity blackout. The agency advises the public to evaluate each food separately, following a series of instructions.

First of all, "never" taste a food to assess whether it is safe, nor rely on its appearance or smell. "What is important is the temperature which each type of food has reached, depending on the storage capacity of your refrigerator. The longer the time without electricity, the greater the risk of reaching an undesirable temperature," Aesan's document says.

If the refrigerator or freezer doors have not been opened during the blackout and in the event of power outages of less than four hours, the refrigerator can maintain the temperature of the food below 5C and, in principle, it would not be necessary to discard any food because of the blackout.

However, if the electricity supply has been interrupted for more than four hours, the temperature may have risen above 5C and perishable foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk or fresh cheese or leftovers should be thrown away.

"You should be aware that these perishable foods that can deteriorate, because they have not been kept refrigerated or frozen properly, and their consumption can cause illness, even if you cook them at the right temperatures," said Aesan. In addition, the agency stated that they can be a source of cross-contamination for other foods.

With regard to fruit and vegetables, Aesan says that they can be kept at higher temperatures and can therefore be consumed if they maintain their freshness and following the usual washing recommendations. In the case of cut fruit and vegetables or prepared salads, they should be thrown away, as is the case with perishable foods.

Some non-perishable foods, such as soft drinks, canned food, alcoholic beverages or chocolate, are often stored in the refrigerator on a regular basis, although they do not need to be. These products can be kept in perfect condition out of the cold and can be consumed without any inconvenience.

Freezers

Freezers can maintain the freezing temperature for at least 24 to 48 hours, if the doors are not opened. Food can be refrozen if it has not thawed completely, i.e. when ice crystals remain hard and cold on the surface.

In areas where the power outage may last more than 24 hours, it is important to check that the food has not thawed completely, in which case it can be refrozen. If they have not thawed, and as long as the temperature has not exceeded 5C, they can be consumed within the day. "If it is not clear how long they have been thawed, food items should be discarded, especially if they are not cold to the touch," the agency advises.

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