10 Tips for Food and Drinks Safety During Power Outages due to Bushfires

Power outages can cause a lot of inconvenience. This inconvenient situation doubles up as a crisis for the Food and Beverage industry as they go through a tough time managing with just the backup power supply which doesn’t last very long. At some tough times like the time when Australia suffered a severe bushfire in 2019 which killed more than 480 million animals and when over 1000 houses were charred irreparably, power outages are bound to happen. 

A power outage means that there would be no opportunity to charge your phones, no WiFi and no air conditioning. Also, some of the necessary appliances like washing machines, and refrigerators fail to function due to lack of power. The biggest impact would be on the restaurants and bars where the storage of fresh food elements and drinks under a prescribed temperature becomes a massive responsible task. Keeping the perishable edible items under no supervision of the suggested preservation method makes way for the huge loss of such components. Therefore power outage and food have a strong bond as the cool storage helps to retain the freshness and the desired flavour of the respective food items. 

It is very important to follow the rules of food safety guidelines which are followed by restaurants across Australia to keep the ingredients fresh and serve the patrons the right kind of food with the right kind of flavour and freshness. 

Let us now discuss all the safety measures to be taken with the food and drinks during power outages:

1. Keeping ample water bottles frozen to use them further as icepacks to preserve the early perishable food items like fruits, vegetables and greens is always an easy hack. Having a good stock of dry ice or keeping big bags of ice in the refrigerator can come to good use during such an unforeseen fiasco.
2. Grouping all the frozen and cool storage items by storing them separately near each other can help the frost stay in one place giving each other sufficient required temperature constantly.
3. Though defrosting is a tedious task, freezing all the necessary natural ingredients at these times can be a safer bet.
4. Keep those fridge doors closed. Peeping in the fridge, again and again, can make the frost appear easily and make those fresh veggies look dull.
5. Gearing up those cooler boxes with ice or cold water to store fish or fruits which may rot very easily.
6. Prioritizing the usage of food based on its shelf life is always a smart way to handle a crisis.
7. ‘Prevention is better than cure’ – Be prepared for such situations with excellent power backup facilities which are taken care of well with timely servicing.
8. Using high-quality pieces of equipment like a better refrigerator and a low-power consumption Air cooler can prove beneficial by making you proud of your decision of opting them for your dream project.
9. Avoid using alternatives in place of stale ingredients. For Ex: A mango is a rich, whole fruit which infuses its fascinating flavour when compared to mango ice cream which contains an essence which might be similar to the fruit but can nowhere come closer to mango’s authenticity as far as the flavour is concerned.
10. Some foods like grains and pulses stay fresh for a longer time if they are roasted and then stored. Similarly, check out for those options to store some fruits in its crush or jam format, veggies being pulped, pickled or dehydrated to get the taste which is very much close to the usage of the fresh variety itself. 

In addition to the above points, it is always important to understand the fact that during such situations food spoilage is bound to happen. It is always advisable to check before using any stored fruits, vegetables and eggs to understand their quality prior to serving them to the patrons. It is likewise needless to say that any guest must never, ever have half-baked or uncooked or even cold food plated for them. Remember the fact that they too would be experiencing discomfort due to the power cut. It is in the hands of a perfect host of a restaurant to serve them happiness using merry ingredients and which have spices smiling on them.