Blackout: Is grocery store meat safe?

[wrcousert]

Why don't grocery stores have enough generators to keep their freezers and refrigerators going for a few days? One or two total losses from blackouts should be enough to cover the expenses.

[tonyinsd]

Don't forget, those freezers will keep things cold for a while even if the power is out. I don't recall the Ralph's downtown throwing any food away when there was the blackout last summer. I know they do bring in generators when there's SDG&E work planned but I think it's more about making sure they're able to stay open versus preserving their food.

[earlyretirement]

An old thread but I think it just comes down to the extreme rarity of these types of blackouts. Plus, they should probably be covered by insurance policies I'd think to cover some rare event like this.

[wrcousert]

Originally Posted by tonyinsd

Don't forget, those freezers will keep things cold for a while even if the power is out. I don't recall the Ralph's downtown throwing any food away when there was the blackout last summer. I know they do bring in generators when there's SDG&E work planned but I think it's more about making sure they're able to stay open versus preserving their food.

I know a few people who were sent frm Murrieta to San Diego to throw out everything that was in their freezers and refrigerators. It was a huge loss. Even though they are rare events, you would think that one or two would be more than enough to cover the cost of the necessary generators. Maybe SDG&E could build neighborhood generators that are powered by natural gas.

[AsakSD]

I think throwing out your meat after 4 hours without power is a bit drastic. Meat is not going to spoil that fast, especially if you keep the door shut (the fridge will not heat up that fast).

If meat heats up it will definitely spoil faster, but if you cook it right away it should still be good. Just cook it extra long to be sure to kill any bacteria. Don't make rare hamburgers or something with the meat still red inside.

I would go so far as to say you could leave meat out on the counter all night and it would still probably be fine as long as it's not already too old. Provided you cook it long enough it will be perfectly safe, the only danger is that it will taste bad. However, you can pretty much tell from the smell if meat has gone bad.

The major thing to keep in mind is that if you cook anything long enough it will generally be safe to eat, even meat that is completely spoiled, it's just a question as to whether you'd want to eat it.

[oddstray]

Since this thread is about the blackout, I think it now qualifies as a zombie thread.