Proper inspection and storage of food deliveries are critical to prevent contamination and ensure food safety in a food premises. Room temperature storage suits non-hazardous foods like pasta or canned items, while refrigerated storage (4 Celsius/39 Fahrenheit or colder) and frozen storage (-18 Celsius/0 Fahrenheit or colder) protect potentially hazardous foods like meats and dairy from bacterial growth. Non-food items such as cleaning chemicals must be stored separately to avoid chemical contamination.
During delivery inspection, ensure trucks are clean and free of dirt or pests, and check shipping temperatures with your thermometer: potentially hazardous foods at 4 Celsius/39 Fahrenheit or colder, frozen foods at -18 Celsius/0 Fahrenheit or colder. Reject foods that are too warm, damaged, spoiled, or show refreezing signs like large ice crystals.
For individual foods, confirm water and ice are potable from approved sources. Meat, poultry, and seafood must have government inspection stamps; reject if discolored, odorous, slimy, or not at 4 Celsius/39 Fahrenheit. Fish or shellfish with fishy smells, cloudy eyes, or soft flesh should be discarded, as should shellfish that don’t close when tapped. These practices—proper storage, thorough delivery inspection, and rejection of substandard items—safeguard customer health, minimize foodborne illness risks, and uphold rigorous safety standards in the kitchen
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You’ll learn how to inspect food deliveries and store foods properly to prevent contamination and ensure safety. Let’s dive in!
Types of Storage
Food premises use three types of storage to maintain safety:
- Room Temperature Storage: For non-hazardous foods (e.g., dry goods like pasta or canned items).
- Refrigerated and Frozen Storage: For potentially hazardous foods (e.g., meats, dairy) to prevent bacterial growth.
- Refrigerated: 4°C/39°F or colder.
- Frozen: -18°C/0°F or colder.
- Non-Food Storage: For items like cleaning chemicals and pest control products, kept separate from food to avoid contamination.
Receiving Food Deliveries
Proper inspection of deliveries ensures food safety from the start:
- Delivery Truck Inspection:
- Ensure the truck is clean and free of contamination (e.g., no dirt, pests, or spills).
- Check shipping temperatures with your own thermometer:
- Potentially hazardous foods: 4°C/39°F or colder.
- Frozen foods: -18°C/0°F or colder.
- Reject foods that are too warm, damaged, spoiled, or show signs of thawing and refreezing (e.g., large ice crystals, solid ice areas, dried-out or discolored food).
- Individual Food Inspection:
- Water and Ice: Must be potable (safe for drinking) and ice must come from an approved, government-inspected source.
- Meat, Poultry, and Seafood:
- Verify government inspection stamps on packaging.
- Reject meat or poultry if discolored, odorous, slimy, sticky, dry, or not refrigerated at 4°C/39°F or colder.
- Reject fish/shellfish if:
- Strong fishy or ammonia smell.
- Sunken or cloudy eyes (fish).
- Soft flesh with lasting finger impressions.
- Received above 4°C/39°F.
- Shellfish are partly open and don’t close when tapped.
- Reject lobster/shrimp if soft or strongly odorous.
Why This Matters
Proper receiving and storage prevent contamination, bacterial growth, and foodborne illness by ensuring foods are safe from delivery to preparation. Rejecting substandard deliveries and using correct storage practices protect customers and maintain compliance with public health standards. Check course resources for more guidance on safe food handling and storage practices.
Key Takeaways:
- Use room temperature, refrigerated (4°C/39°F or colder), and frozen (-18°C/0°F or colder) storage for food, and separate non-food storage for chemicals.
- Inspect delivery trucks for cleanliness and correct temperatures, rejecting foods that are too warm, damaged, or refrozen.
- Verify potable water/ice and reject meat, poultry, or seafood showing signs of spoilage or improper handling.