Food Safety in Severe Weather: Keeping Your Kitchen Compliant and Safe

South East Queensland is no stranger to extreme weather, with storms, heatwaves, and power outages posing serious challenges to hospitality businesses. When severe weather strikes, food safety must remain a top priority to protect customers, maintain compliance, and prevent costly losses. Here’s how your venue can stay prepared and keep operations running safely during extreme weather events.

1. Power Outages: Preventing Food Spoilage

Power failures are one of the biggest risks during storms, potentially compromising food storage and safety. Here’s how to minimize spoilage and maintain compliance:

• Monitor Fridge & Freezer Temperatures: Keep cold storage below 5°C and freezers at -18°C. If power is lost, keep fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible.

• Use a Digital Thermometer: When power is restored, check that food temperatures have remained safe before serving. Discard high-risk foods that have been in the danger zone (above 5°C) for more than four hours.

• Have an Emergency Cold Storage Plan: Consider backup power solutions like generators or ice packs to keep food cold during extended outages.

  
  

Emergency Refrigeration Services in Brisbane

If your walk-in fridge or freezer goes down, contacting a local emergency refrigeration service quickly is crucial. Here are some Brisbane-based companies that provide emergency breakdown support:

• A&P Refrigeration – Offers 24/7 emergency repair services for commercial refrigeration.

• RHQ (Refrigeration House of Queensland) – Specializes in emergency refrigeration breakdown services across Brisbane.

• CoolTimes Services – Provides rapid response for commercial refrigeration repairs, ensuring minimal downtime.

• ACRO Refrigeration Services – Covers Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast with 24/7 repair services.

• Denman Power and Cooling – Offers commercial refrigeration repairs in Brisbane and Ipswich.

• Bears Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Services – Delivers 24/7 emergency breakdown services in the region.

  
  

Generator Hire Services to Help Keep Your Fridges and Freezers Running

Having access to a backup generator can prevent food loss and ensure your kitchen remains operational. The following businesses provide generator hire services in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast:

• Total Generators – Offers trailer-mounted and silent generators for hire.

• Kennards Hire – Provides portable generators for various hospitality applications.

• Master Hire - Warana – Supplies generators and power solutions across the Sunshine Coast.

• Renteca – Specializes in commercial and industrial generator hire.

• Kawana Equipment Hire – Provides silenced generators for hospitality and commercial use.

• Macfarlane Generators – Offers portable and large-scale generator hire solutions.

  
  

2. Safe Temperatures for Refreezing Thawed Food

Understanding temperature safety is key when dealing with power outages:

• Refrigerated Foods: If perishable foods have been above 5°C for more than four hours, they should be discarded.

• Frozen Foods: If frozen food has thawed and been above 5°C for more than two hours, it should not be refrozen. However, if food still contains ice crystals or remains below 5°C, it may be safely refrozen, though some quality loss is expected.

  
  

Estimating Freezer Temperature Drop During Power Outages

The rate at which a freezer warms depends on insulation quality and ambient temperature:

• Full Freezer: Can maintain safe temperatures for about 48 hours if the door remains closed.

• Half-Full Freezer: May only stay cold for approximately 24 hours under the same conditions.

Using appliance thermometers can help monitor temperature changes and prevent unsafe food handling practices.

3. Flooding & Water Contamination Risks

Heavy rainfall and flooding can introduce serious food safety hazards, including water contamination and pest infestations. Protect your venue by:

• Discarding Flood-Exposed Food: Any food that has come into contact with floodwater must be discarded, as it may contain bacteria, chemicals, or sewage contaminants.

• Checking for Cross-Contamination: Dispose of any food packaging that has been submerged in floodwater.

• Sanitizing Surfaces & Equipment: Use food-safe disinfectants to clean all kitchen surfaces, utensils, and appliances before resuming food preparation.

  
  

4. Emergency Preparedness: A Compliance Must-Have

Being proactive can save your business from major disruptions. Here’s how to stay ahead:

• Train Staff on Emergency Procedures: Ensure all team members know how to handle food safely during a power outage, heatwave, or flood.

• Stock Emergency Supplies: Have backup thermometers, sanitizers, bottled water, and non-perishable food on hand.

• Review Your Food Safety Plan: Regularly update your food safety management system to include severe weather protocols and ensure compliance with Queensland food safety regulations.

  
  

Final Thoughts

Extreme weather can strike at any time, but with the right precautions, your business can stay safe, compliant, and operational. Bam Bam Culinary Consultants can help you develop a tailored food safety plan to protect your venue and customers. Get in touch today to weatherproof your kitchen!