Discard food needing temperature control that has been above 41 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 4 hours, or for an unknown time. Keep food you can show stayed at or below 41 degrees. Frozen food with ice crystals or that is still cold may be kept under health department direction. Food that is not temperature-sensitive, such as whole fruit, is usually fine.
After a Hattiesburg storm, restaurants face a pile of decisions with limited information. The safest approach is simple: use temperatures and times, write them down and do not gamble with high-risk foods.
Sort by risk
| Group | Examples | After a long outage |
|---|---|---|
| High risk, refrigerated | Raw meat, poultry, seafood, cooked leftovers, cut melons, dairy, eggs, cooked rice, sauces | Discard if above 41 degrees beyond the allowed time |
| Frozen | Meat, prepared items, ice cream | Check for ice crystals and temperature. Follow health department direction. |
| Lower risk | Whole fruit, hard cheese, unopened condiments, most whole vegetables | Usually safe if they look and smell normal |
| Ready-to-eat near raw | Anything touched by drips | Discard |
Step by step
- Find when power failed. If unknown, use the last good log reading.
- Keep doors closed until you are ready to check.
- Probe the food. Check the warmest items in each box.
- Apply your time limit. Commonly 4 hours above 41 degrees for food needing temperature control.
- Separate and label anything you are unsure about, and decide with the person in charge.
- Document. Photos, temperatures, times and a list of discarded items for your insurer.
Freezers
A full, closed freezer holds its temperature much longer than a cooler, but the length depends on the box and the weather. Look at the food itself. Solid with ice crystals is a good sign. Soft and warm is not. Do not refreeze food that has warmed above safe temperatures.
Documentation
- Write down the outage start and end, with sources.
- Keep the temperature log page.
- Photograph the thermometer and the food.
- List what you discarded and its value.
- Save repair invoices and utility notices.
Read food spoilage insurance before you file a claim.
Before you restart
Check the equipment as well. A unit may need a careful restart, and see the recovery guide for the steps. The time-limits page covers the reasoning, and the food-safety guide the wider context. Ask the Mississippi State Department of Health at 601-364-2832 if you are unsure.
Examples to help you decide
- Raw chicken, box at 52 degrees after 5 hours: discard.
- Sealed unopened condiments: generally keep.
- Cut melon at 44 degrees for 2 hours: follow your time limit and consider discarding, since it is a TCS food.
- Frozen fish that is hard with ice crystals: likely still safe, but check with your health department.
- Cooked rice with an unknown time out of temperature: discard.
These are examples, not rulings. The safest habit is to decide with a probe thermometer, a written time and the person in charge, then record the decision.
Questions after an outage
Can I sell food that smells fine?
No. Dangerous bacteria often do not change smell or look. Use temperature and time.
What if the outage was short?
If the box stayed closed and food probes at or below 41 degrees, it is usually fine. Check and log it.
Should I call the health department?
After a long outage, yes. They can advise on what to keep and on reopening.