Food safety tips for those without power

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Some folks have been in the dark for close to 78 hours now. And if you are one of them, hopefully you've been able to move the food in your fridge. If not, it's time to throw it out.

The biggest thing you need to watch out for is food temperature. If something from your refrigerator or freezer is warmer than 41 degrees you need to throw it away. Ann Applegate specializes in food safety with the Allen County Health Department.

As far as the food in your freezer goes, if it's half full your food is safe for 24 hours. If it's full, your food is safe for 48 hours.

For the items in your refrigerator, hopefully you were able to pack some of them into a cooler with ice. Applegate said you should use a food thermometer to check the temperature of your food right before you cook or eat it. You should throw away any food that has a temperature of more than 41 degrees.

"Temperature control is very important for food safety. Any food above 41 degrees can reach what we call a danger zone and bacteria can grow in those types of conditions. A lot of times if it's at higher temperatures, 70 degrees or higher than that, food is not going to stay cool for very long. The higher the temperature is then the more bacteria can grow. The food can become unsafe and you can consume it and become ill," Applegate said.

Officials at State Farm Insurance said you can claim your food as a loss under your homeowners insurance. For more information, call your insurance agent.