The effects of door opening and food placement on food temperature within the refrigerator when power is lost during a disaster

This thesis studies the effect of temperature change and heat gain on food stored in a refrigerator when the power goes out. The purpose of this study was to provide insight on how to prevent food from entering the temperature danger zone when the power goes out, and identify ways to prolong the time before the food went enters the temperature danger zone. The study was an experimental design in which full- and half-gallon containers filled with water were used to simulate food. The change in temperature of the water in the containers was tested against various variables to see which helped maintain water temperature for the longest amount of time after the power went out. The results showed that the temperature of the containers on the top shelf of the refrigerator increased the fastest while the containers on the bottom shelf maintained safe temperatures for the longest period of time.