News release

Food and Water Safety a Priority

Emergency Management Office

In the wake of power outages linked to Hurricane Earl, many people have questions about the safety of foods from their refrigerators and deep freezes.

Following are some general food safety tips from the Department of Agriculture:

  • Perishable food that has reached room temperature for more than two hours must be discarded.
  • Any food in a deep freeze that is fully stocked is good for about two days from the time of power failure.
  • Any food in a half-filled deep freeze is safe to eat for one day from the time of power failure.
  • Food retail outlets are advised to keep food below 4 C (40 F). Any perishable food left above this temperature for more than two hours should be discarded immediately.

Officials at the Department of Agriculture say foods most often associated with food-borne illness include: raw or cooked meat, poultry, seafood and luncheon meats; casseroles, stews or soups; milk or soft cheese; homemade mayonnaise or dressings; cooked pasta, potatoes or rice; salads made with any of these foods.

For further information on food safety see the fact sheets entitled "Food Safety After a Power Outage" and "Saving Foods When My Power Is Off" on the website at www.gov.ns.ca/agri/foodsafety/factsht/ or call 902-424-1173 24/7. Callers may leave a message, and a food safety official will call them back.

The Department of Environment advises that municipal water utilities are continuing to supply water that is safe for human consumption.

For people with wells, if they are damaged or there is any doubt about water quality, the best policy is to boil the water for at least one minute before consuming and to have your well tested as soon as possible.