Mastering Sanitary Food Handling: From Inspection to Storage Leave a comment

Maintaining impeccable personal cleanliness and sanitation standards is a cornerstone of operational excellence in any food service business. Success in the food service industry hinges on culinary expertise and stringent adherence to hygiene protocols. This article is an extract from our training program, “Supervising Food Safety – Level 3“, a training program that equips the participants with essential knowledge and skills to follow personal cleanliness guidelines, grasps the intrinsic importance of cleanliness in a food service business, device effective cleaning schedules, and execute correct sanitation practices in food service establishment.

The training program empowers participants with the knowledge of a holistic approach to hygiene and sanitation. This knowledge helps them to uphold the highest standards of safety, quality, and professionalism in their culinary endeavors. While we dive deep into this article, we invite you to join our training program today.

Ensuring sanitary practices from procurement to storage is paramount to safeguarding public health and maintaining quality standards in food service establishments. This comprehensive article on Sanitary Food Handling provides readers with the essential knowledge and skills to navigate the intricacies of food inspection, grading, and receiving from suppliers. Knowing the difference between inspection and grading is the foundation of informed decision-making in food procurement. Food service professionals should be able to discern regular and irregular conditions when receiving food shipments. This will enable them to uphold the necessary standards of quality assurance.

In addition, food service professionals need to master the correct storage methods and temperature to ensure food integrity and safety preservation. This article’s goal, part of module 2 of our training program, is to equip the readers with the requisite knowledge to uphold the highest standards of sanitary food handling practices.

 

Ensuring Food Safety: Guidelines for Purchasing Wholesome and Compliant Ingredients

Food procurement stands as a pivotal aspect in any food service establishment. It directly influences the quality and safety of culinary offerings. Here, we want to look into the critical considerations surrounding the purchase of food items in the food service industry. The emphasis is on the sourcing of wholesome ingredients. Restaurant personnel are tasked with ensuring that all purchases meet stringent suitability standards for consumption.

Local, regional, and national sanitation laws should be adhered to as a commitment to maintaining food safety and integrity. Furthermore, meat and poultry products sourced internationally should pass through a mandatory inspection by Department of Agriculture agents to ascertain their suitability for human consumption. Diligent oversight and adherence to regulatory protocols are essential elements in safeguarding public health and upholding the reputation of the food service establishment.

In the US, for example, inspection is done at the processing plants to make sure that:

• Meat and poultry products have the proper quality
• The plant is clean
• The plant’s employees use proper procedures.

Purchasers should know the difference between “inspection” and “grading”. Hence, it is necessary we make a distinction between the two.

Inspection refers to an official examination of the food to determine whether or not it is wholesome. Grading, on the other hand, refers to analyzing foods relative to specific, defined standards to assess their quality.

Inspection is often required by law, but grading is not. It is optional.

Many purchasers prefer to buy graded products because they know those products have met specific quality standards – that is one reason producers are willing to pay to have their fruits, vegetables, cheese, and other products graded.

Purchasers should be aware that products are graded at the processing plants; improper handling by delivery or restaurant personnel can adversely affect product quality.

 

Sanitation Guidelines for Receiving Foods

All incoming foods should be checked to make sure they meet the quality standards stated in the operation’s purchase specifications. Employees who receive American meats and poultry for the operation should look for the USDA “inspected and Passed” labels. The guidelines to follow are:

 

Guideline 1

• Look at the condition of the delivery vehicle
• Does the interior look clean?
• Is it an open-bed truck or an enclosed truck? The chances that products may be contaminated are higher with an open-bed truck.

 

Guideline 2

• Carefully inspect every container that appears damaged; there is a possibility that the food within the container may be contaminated.

 

Guideline 3

• Check all deliveries for evidence of insect or rodent contamination.

 

Guideline 4

• Check incoming products for unusual or foul odors. Such odors generally mean a problem exists.

 

Guideline 5

• Don’t accept frozen foods that feel wholly or partially thawed or appear spoiled.

 

Guides for Storing Food

• Food should be stored as soon as possible after being received.
• Keep stored foods covered, as uncovered food may dry out or absorb odors.
• It is also possible for debris or other objects to fall into uncovered food from the storage shelve above.
• Store frozen foods in their original containers because they are usually moisture and vapor-proof.
• Store staples such as flour, cornmeal, and rice in rust-proof, corrosion-resistant containers with tight-fitting lids.
• Do not use metal containers; they are hard to clean, sanitize, and maintain.
• Keep stored food away from walls and dripping pipes.
• Place food on slotted shelves at least two inches away from the wall and six inches off the floor.

 

Recommended Refrigerated Storage Practices

All cooked food or other products removed from the original container must be enclosed in clean, sanitized, covered containers and identified. Do not store packaged food in contact with water or undrained ice.

Check refrigerator thermometers regularly. Recommended temperatures for different food items are as follows:

• Produce: 45^oF (7^oC) or below.
• Dairy and meat: 40^oF (4^oC) or below.
• Seafood: 30^oF (-1^oC) or below
• Store large pieces of meat and all foods in a way that permits free circulation of cool air on all surfaces.

Do not store food directly on the floor or base.

Schedule cleaning of equipment and refrigerated storage rooms at regular intervals

Date all merchandise upon receipt and rotate inventory on a “first-in, first-out” basis.

Check fruits and vegetables daily for spoilage.

Store dairy products separately from foods with a strong odor.

Store fish apart from other food products

Establish a preventive maintenance program for equipment

 

Food Storage Important Practices

• Facilitate air circulation and floor cleaning
• Refrain from lining shelves with paper or other materials because this will block airflow. All shelves must be clean.
• Food that cannot be stored on shelves because of size or bulk should be kept on easily movable dollies or skids, not on the floor.
• Even if it is containers, food should never be stored on the floor because these containers may be placed on the kitchen counter to be opened and emptied, allowing soil on the bottom of the containers to contaminate the counter.
• Recommended temperatures in refrigerated storage areas vary with the type of food being stored.
• Freezer temperatures should be 0^oF (-18^oC) or below.
• Food products not requiring refrigeration or freezing should be stored in clean, cool, and moisture-free areas that are well-ventilated and free from rodents and insects.
• Temperatures for dry food products should be between 50^oF (10^oC) and 70^oF (21^oC).
• Relative humidity should range from 50% to 60%.
• Products that seem spoiled or unusable should be thrown away, but be sure that employees notify you first.
• Issue food to preparation or service areas on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis. In other words, products that are in storage the longest should be used first.
• Before storing a product, please mark the date it was received on the package or container in which it came in. This will help with stock rotation.
• Inspect storage areas often. Do not keep poisons, toxic substances, or cleaning materials in food storage areas.

In conclusion, mastering sanitary food handling practices is more than merely a matter of routine. It is a fundamental commitment to ensuring the safety and integrity of every culinary endeavor. From careful inspection of food items to vigilant storage procedures and adherence to sanitation guidelines while purchasing and receiving food items, each step plays a vital role in upholding the highest standards of food safety.