Reader question: How do I decide in an Austrian household about partially thawed food after a power cut, without inferring safety solely from the outage duration?
After a power cut the freezer in your Austrian flat comes back on. Some packages are still solid, others feel soft on the outside. The crucial question now is the actual condition of each food item. A device display lighting up again does not prove that every package remained sufficiently cold during the outage.
Maintain cold and record the known course
The BfR explains that well-filled and initially unopened freezers can keep frozen goods sufficiently cold for many hours. [BfRKuehl] No single number of hours can be derived that is safe for every appliance. Therefore do not keep opening it to check and consult the available device information.
Note the known outage duration and any available temperature information. If the start is unknown, it remains unknown. a later cold display does not replace a temperature history from the relevant period.
Distinguish food groups and actual condition
The BfR differentiates thawing with a soft outer layer and still-frozen core from more advanced thawing. Quality and shelf life can be affected. Cooked dishes and raw plant-based foods are treated differently in the specialist guidance than raw animal foods. Thawed ice cream should be discarded. [BfRKuehl]
Therefore do not lump all packages together under the heading “briefly thawed”. Specify the type of food and follow any manufacturer instructions. For an unknown warm history this article gives no clearance for consumption. A taste test is not proof of safety.
Make further processing conditional on the circumstances
According to the BfR, raw animal foods should be thoroughly heated after thawing before any of the further storage steps described there are considered. The source recommends controlled thawing in the refrigerator and hygienic handling of thawing liquid. [BfRKuehl]
These notes are not a rescue guarantee for goods stored warm for arbitrarily long periods. Obtain appropriate expert advice for an unclear specific product; in case of doubt refrain from using it. No specific temperature–time combination for general decontamination is invented here.
Decide together when several people share supplies
In the hypothetical flatshare case not all foods were bought together. One person compiles the available information and informs the others before dubious items quietly end up in a shared meal. It should be clear which package has not yet been assessed.
The decision about disposal and any replacement purchase is handled separately from any claimed reimbursement by insurance or the landlord. The article promises no such entitlement. Necessary safe clean-up work should not be postponed solely for a later discussion about evidence.
Resume normal operation in a traceable way
Check whether the appliance is actually operating again according to its instructions, and only return items that have been suitably assessed. If there are technical irregularities, appliance testing is a separate step. Record the food decision made and any remaining query briefly. A restarted compressor does not replace the prior inspection of the frozen goods.