Recent cold weather and power outages present food safety challenges. Kansas State University food scientist Karen Blakeslee warns that frozen canned or jarred foods can be a safety risk.

Blakeslee advises checking for broken seals or seams in metal cans or cracked glass jars due to the expansion of food and liquids inside. If containers remain intact, they can be saved. The food should be thawed gradually and stored at room temperature.

She recommends discarding commercially canned foods with broken seams or glass jars that are cracked, as these can lead to contamination. Home-canned foods that have come unsealed and thawed should also be discarded. However, if a glass jar becomes unsealed but remains frozen, it can be safely used immediately or transferred to a new container for refrigeration or freezing.

To avoid future food safety issues, Blakeslee suggests moving storage containers to warmer locations or wrapping them in paper and blankets for insulation. Another option is propping open pantry or cupboard doors to allow warm air inside.

Blakeslee, coordinator of K-State’s Rapid Response Center for Food Science, also publishes a monthly newsletter, You Asked It!, with food safety tips.