Q: Can micro-organisms live in cold places eg food in a refrigerator?

A: Absolutely, they can. Cold temperature only slows down the growth of micro-organisms but it doesn’t completely stop them. So, the better the condition of the food stored in the refrigerator, the longer it will keep and the worse the condition, the shorter the period it will keep. Bear in mind that these foods will not keep indefinitely.

If you live in a place where power supply is not always stable, it means that:

• Fridge temperatures can fluctuate

• Food warms and cools repeatedly

• Bacteria multiply faster

So, if power has been off for several hours:

• Avoid opening the fridge repeatedly to conserve the coolness.

• Reheat leftovers thoroughly.

• If outage is prolonged, move high-risk foods (meat, fish, dairy) into a cooler with multiple ice packs (blocks).

• Keep the cooler closed.

• When power returns, assess carefully before refreezing eg check for unusual smell or texture

And remember:

• If food smells strange, feels slimy, or you are unsure, please discard it.

• Food poisoning costs more than wasted food.

How long has your power ever been off while food was still in the fridge?