MAKE SURE FOOD IS SAFE, SAY EXPERTS

Some foods remain safe to eat following a power outage, while others need to be pitched.

However, a definitive list of what is safe and what is potentially dangerous is hard to compile, said food safety experts.

Anyone still without power may bring perishable food items to Schnucks in Cape Girardeau to be stored until the power is back. Items should be placed in a box or cooler and clearly identified. The items will be held in freezers or coolers.

The general rule in food safety: "When in doubt, throw it out."

But following that rule isn't always as easy as it seems. Should you throw out a dozen eggs? How about slices of American cheese or an unopened package of bologna? And what about foods stored in the freezer?

Judy Lueders, nutrition specialist with the University of Missouri Extension, and Diane Gregory, food safety expert with Cape Girardeau County Health Department, said err on the side of caution when considering which foods to keep and which to discard.

Gregory said use particular caution when dealing with raw chicken, raw beef, hot dogs, bologna, braunschweiger or leftovers. These types of food are most commonly associated with food-related illnesses.

Listeria, a serious health risk, is common on lunch meats and hot dogs. "It's happy to grow at 39 degrees," Gregory said.

"You really want to watch for cross contamination," Gregory said. "You want to be very careful about meat juices in the refrigerator or the freezer."

If meat juices drip onto a loaf of bread, for example, and that bread package is placed on the counter top, contamination has been spread throughout the kitchen.

Generally speaking, food from the refrigerator can be safe to eat until it has stood two hours or more at 40 degrees or warmer.

Frozen foods that still have ice crystals and feel cold as if refrigerated are safe and can be refrozen or cooked.

"If you refreeze these foods, you will risk some quality changes, but that's a separate issue from food safety," Gregory said.

To help conserve the cold, individuals can put ice or dry ice inside refrigerators or freezers. Chest freezers can be covered with blankets to help keep the cold inside. Keep the door closed as much as possible.

Different refrigerators and freezers warm up at different rates.

"Since most of the power outages happened overnight, people were not fanning the doors and letting the cold out," Lueders said.

As frozen food begins to thaw, use it, Lueders said. Fire up the barbecue grill or give the food to friends who have power.

For more details, consult the World Wide Web at www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/NEBFACTS/nf99.htm

SAFE FOOD AFTER A POWER OUTAGE

The following foods should keep at room temperature (about 68 to 70 degrees) a few days:

Butter, margarine

Taco sauce, barbecue suace

Hard and processed cheeses

Fruit juices, fruit pies

Dried fruits, coconut

Peanut butter, jelly

Fresh herbs, spices

Mustard, ketchup

Relish, olives

Discard the following foods if kept over 2 hours at above 40 degrees:

Raw or cooked meat, poultry and seafood

Milk, cream, yogurt, soft cheeses

Cooked pasta, pasta salads

Custard, chiffon or cheese pies

Fresh eggs, egg subsitutes

Lunchmeats, meat-topped pizza

Casseroles, stews, soups

Mayonnaise, tartar sauce

Refrigerated cookie dough

Cream-filled pastries