Question
Q
i was baking a chicken casserole last night. the power went out after about 30 minutes of baking. i put it in the fridge. then, i cooked it for 1 and 1/2 hours more when the power came back on 3 hours later. i put it back in the frige. is it safe to eat tonight?
Answer(s)
A
Food safety is always a concern. It sounds like you followed safe practices though. You want to keep food out of the danger zone (40-140 degrees) where bacteria grow the quickest. Food shouldn't be in the danger zone for more than 2 hours total time. A refrigerator will stay cold for up to 24 hours when the power is off if you don't open and close the door a lot. Your quick thinking to put it in the refrigerator kept it safe.
Posted on 23 Jul 2009
Darlene Christensen
Family & Consumer Sciences, 4-H/Youth Agent, Tooele County
Darlene Christensen
Family & Consumer Sciences, 4-H/Youth Agent, Tooele County
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