LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The county of Lake is offering guidance on food safety for Pawnee fire evacuees who are now returning home.

Electricity to the evacuated areas was cut for several days, meaning residents can expect to find spoiled food on their return.

Below are a series of food-related safety guidelines.

Discard any perishable foods (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers) that have been above 41 degrees Fahrenheit for over four hours.

Never taste food to determine its safety. You can’t rely on appearance or odor to determine whether food is safe. Please contact your local solid waste hauler for proper disposal.

If your refrigerator has been nonoperational for an extended period of time the food inside it has gone bad.

Perishable food products like raw meats and vegetables when not held at refrigeration exude potentially hazardous juices. These juices contaminate not only your other food products but also your refrigerator. Discard any items in the refrigerator that have come into contact with raw meat juices.

When cleaning your refrigerator or freezer, please avoid increasing the contamination area by containing the spill as much as possible by using a basin or restricting it to a certain area.

After gathering the potential hazardous food properly dispose of any spoiled or questionable food by double bagging it and throwing it in the trash.

Remember safety first: Use gloves and safety glasses. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling or clean up of spoiled foods, containers and refrigerators.

How should you clean and sanitize your refrigerator after disposing of potentially hazardous food? Use the following cleaning and sanitizing method to clean and disinfect:

– Wash with soap and water; ensure that any dirt, silt or chemicals are brushed or wiped away.
– Rinse with clean water.
– Sanitize by using water and bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water).
– Wash, rinse and sanitize other food contact surfaces.
– Air dry.
– When in doubt, throw it out.