Extreme weather has always tested communities, but in recent years the storms feel stronger, the outages last longer, and the grid seems more fragile. From Gulf hurricanes to Midwest ice storms to Western wildfires, every disaster puts food safety to the test. Households and companies alike are being forced to rethink how long their supplies can last when the power goes out.
Government agencies like the Food Safety and Inspection Service provide essential guidance on refrigeration, freezer storage, and what to do with leftovers once electricity is lost. Those messages are clear: four hours for refrigerated food and up to two days for a full freezer if doors stay shut. Yet beyond these timelines lies a less familiar concern. The additives inside our food do not always behave as expected when the cold chain breaks down.
Additives Under Stress, Policy Under Pressure
Food additives are designed to maintain freshness and stability under expected conditions. Preservatives slow microbial growth, antioxidants delay fat oxidation, and stabilizers prevent separation. But emergencies push these systems beyond their limits. When shelf-stable goods are exposed to high heat for extended periods, preservatives may degrade, antioxidants can lose their potency, and fats in packaged foods may oxidize more quickly producing off-flavors and odors that signal spoilage. Even cans and pouches—normally trusted staples—can become unsafe if they swell, leak, or sustain damage in overheated garages or storm-battered basements. As the USDA notes, shelf-stable foods depend on proper thermal treatment and airtight packaging; additives can extend safety and quality, but they cannot overcome the extreme conditions otherwise shelf-stable food increasingly finds itself in.
The fragility of additives under stress mirrors a larger policy conversation: how much should we rely on them in the first place? Federal and state governments are now cracking down on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and dozens of associated additives. Through efforts like the FDA’s Nutrition Regulatory Science Program and the interagency Request for Information on Ultra-Processed Foods, regulators are seeking to better define UPFs and reassess the role of dyes, preservatives, and other ingredients in the food supply.
States are acting too. California issued an executive order to investigate synthetic food dyes and UPFs while Texas passed legislation requiring warning labels on products containing additives banned abroad.
Yet this reform effort poses a dilemma for disaster preparedness. In emergencies, UPFs and additive-heavy products often serve as lifelines because of their durability, long shelf life, and resistance to spoilage. If reforms succeed in restricting or removing the additives that enable these properties in the name of public health, we risk weakening our food resilience in times of crisis.
Reading the Signs as a Consumer
Emergencies aren’t the time to second-guess what’s in your pantry. Expiration dates and storage instructions provide the best signals of safety, while packaging tells its own story: a can free of dents, bulges, or rust is safer than one showing damage. With reforms potentially changing which additives remain on the market, households can build resilience by keeping shelf-stable staples that require little preparation and no refrigeration, like beans, vegetables, canned tuna, milk alternatives, and grains.
Building a Safer Food Supply
Households can strengthen resilience with stocked pantries, fridge thermometers, and a willingness to discard compromised food. But for companies, the stakes are higher. If regulators are reassessing the very additives that once extended shelf life, businesses must anticipate how products will behave when distribution stalls or when families are forced to store them outside ideal conditions.
This is where scientific evaluation becomes critical. At CTEH, our toxicologists and health scientists partner with clients across the entire product life cycle to address these critical questions. We provide science-based evaluations of ingredient stability and shelf life under stress, assess potential vulnerabilities in supply chains, and help companies prepare for scenarios where products may be stored or distributed outside ideal conditions. When recalls or crises arise, our team offers technical support for labeling, consumer communication, and regulatory engagement. By combining regulatory insight with practical crisis experience, we help organizations strengthen product safety practices, protect brand integrity, and provide consumers with reliable information when it matters most.
Safeguard your products and protect the people who rely on them—reach out to CTEH today.
