2013 Flood "Is It Still Good To Eat" Thread

[Hack&Lube]

Time to revive a classic CP gastronomic tradition.

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=85859
http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=124206

My area was finally cleared last night to return and I've come home to a puddle of frozen fruit/blood at the foot of my refrigerator.

I'm guessing that power was out from Friday morning to Tuesday afternoon and my food has been stagnating in the fridge for at least 4 days, with the doors being closed and retaining cold for maybe 24 hours over that period. Unfortunately, I had just made a Costco run a few days earlier and I fear most of isn't safe to keep.

What of the following should I throw out?

Freezer:
1. New, sealed bag of frozen chicken breasts
2. Half rack of raw ribs
3. Bag of raw sliced beef
4. New, sealed bag of frozen mango chunks
5. Two bags of frozen mixed berries
6. Four bags of frozen veggies
7. Self-wrapped raw salmon fillets
8. Frozen raw meat dumplings
9. T-bone steaks

Fridge:
1. Tupperware of slow-cooked ribs
2. Fifteen eggs
3. Multiple pots of Greek yogurt
4. Box of spring mix salad
6. Old jar of Cheez Whiz
7. Box of macaroni salad
8. Vacuum sealed pre-cooked ribs
9. Butter & Margarine
10. Box of grapes

[malcolmk14]

I'd probably toss it all, unfortunately.

Or eat it all, and post results here.

[Timbo]

9 and 10

[cDnStealth]

I wouldn't risk it. I'd probably toss all of it.

[burn_this_city]

Trash it all except maybe the butter, which will probably taste funny.

[GGG]

Was anything still frozen in the freezer. If it had thawed out all of the meat is garbage.

If the meat juice didnt leak all over everything I would think the fruit and vegatables would be fine to eat although they might not taste that great.

The spring Salad mix should be fine if it isn't brown, Cheese Whiz isn't food so it should be okay, butter and margerine should be fine as it wasn't hot. I would also say the eggs are probably fine to and you would know when you open one if they are rotten.

So I keep
Freezer
4,5,6
Fridge
2,4,6,9,10

[malcolmk14]

Oh yeah, keep the Cheez Whiz for sure.

[troutman]

No power for 48 hours.

Can I keep things like ketchup, salsa, cheez whiz, hot sauce, bbq sauce, margarine, soy sauce?

I threw out everything else.

[Devils'Advocate]

After we in Ontario had our blackout a few years back, where our power was out for a prolonged period, the local news radio station brought in health experts to answer these types of questions. Anything that you buy at the supermarket off the regular shelves (mustard, pickles, soy sauce) should be fine. Things you find in the cooler section like butter should probably go. Except yogurt. Yogurt and cheese should last longer than meat. Unless you see visible mold, it should be safe to eat.

The best thing was that for the evacuated people was that they were away while the power was off. Here people were opening and closing the fridge repeatedly while the power was out, letting all the cold air escape and letting warm air in. So while your fridge may have been without power for four days, it wouldn't have reached room temperature until a few days later. So the health expert on the radio said that if you had been opening the fridge throughout the blackout, you should err on the side of caution. If the fridge had not been opened until the power came back on, you can be a little more lax.

[Komskies]

Originally Posted by troutman

No power for 48 hours.

Can I keep things like ketchup, salsa, cheez whiz, hot sauce, bbq sauce, margarine, soy sauce?

I threw out everything else.

I keep my soy sauce and some of my hot sauces in the pantry, so you can for sure keep those.

[jofillips]

yea eggs will definatley be fine - they don't need to be refrigerated.
Your frozen fruit and veg might be fine too, if cooked soonish!

Our bodies are not as pathetic as we think

[Pizza]

Correct me if im wrong, but when the power cuts, wouldnt your freezer then act as cooler?

I'd say, if it's stuff that you would normally bring on a camping trip and keep in your cooler for 4 days, eat it

[getbak]

In Australia, they don't even put eggs in the refrigerated cases in the grocery store, so those should be good.

[Hack&Lube]

What about sealed bottles of Milk to Go with an expiry of August?

[kermitology]

I have a butter dish that sits on my counter all the time, so butter should be good.

[jofillips]

if milk to go is UHT then its fine...

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Komskies

I keep my soy sauce and some of my hot sauces in the pantry, so you can for sure keep those.

Yeah, most of those things trout listed are things I don't keep in the fridge anyways.

[normtwofinger]

Eggs once older than 30 days must be refrigerated. I believe most of the eggs sold in grocery stores in Canada are older than 30 days. So I would toss them.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by normtwofinger

Eggs once older than 30 days must be refrigerated. I believe most of the eggs sold in grocery stores in Canada are older than 30 days. So I would toss them.

Just had this same battle yesterday. According to the internets, the test is to put eggs in a bowl/pot of cold water (twice as high as the egg itself). If it sits on the bottom, its fine. If it kind of stands up and rests on its bottom/top, its getting old but still ok. If it floats to the surface, chuck it.

I have my own conundrum. Just discovered I have one smokey left in the fridge, one of the brand name, pricey kind. It says on the pack to consume within 7 days of opening, today is day 13 (been refrigerated the whole time). Usually I'd just chuck er, but the place is pretty bare at the moment, and it looks soooo good. Thoughts?

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

Just had this same battle yesterday. According to the internets, the test is to put eggs in a bowl/pot of cold water (twice as high as the egg itself). If it sits on the bottom, its fine. If it kind of stands up and rests on its bottom/top, its getting old but still ok. If it floats to the surface, chuck it.

I have my own conundrum. Just discovered I have one smokey left in the fridge, one of the brand name, pricey kind. It says on the pack to consume within 7 days of opening, today is day 13 (been refrigerated the whole time). Usually I'd just chuck er, but the place is pretty bare at the moment, and it looks soooo good. Thoughts?

Eat it.