Health Experts Advise Throwing Away Food That's Gone Bad Due To Power Outages

Thousands of people in Green Country who lost power are now having to decide what to do with the food they had in their refrigerator and freezer that might have gone bad.

When the power goes out, food in a full freezer can stay good for up to 48 hours if it’s not opened.

But now, most of the people in Green Country are past that mark, which means it’s time to start fresh.

"Instead of taking a chance on your health and your safety, or your family's health and safety and well-being, it would be better just to dispose of items if you are unsure,” said DeBrena Hilton, the Food Protection Services Manager for the Tulsa Health Department.

THD said even though you might not be able to see mold and bacteria on your items, it doesn’t mean it’s not there, so don’t even take a chance on it.

"Stay healthy, and not consume anything that could be spoiled or have microorganisms or bacteria on it that is not visible by the naked eye,” said Hilton.

The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma realizes a lot of people won’t have the money to buy all new groceries, so there's help.

"It really gets exacerbated when you have a crisis like the one we are experiencing, and so we really all have to pull together to make sure that number one, that the most vulnerable in our society are taken care of,” said Calvin Moore, the President and CEO of the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma.

The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma will also have drive-thru events to make sure the people in Green Country who are still without power have what they need.

"Making sure that emergency meal boxes are available to residents who need them, that our partner agencies are strong and are capable of continuing their operations,” said Moore.

People needing something to eat can come to the Food Bank tomorrow at 5 p.m. for a drive-thru hamburger meal.

The Food Bank is located at 1304 N Kenosha Ave in Tulsa.

If you need help from the Food Bank, you are encouraged to visit www.okfoodbank.org/help