Tips for general storage and food handling

Today, I’m going to share some tips for general storage and food handling to maintain food safety.

STOCK CONTROL

Effective stock control is an important part of managing food safety.  To ensure your stock is well-managed, you should:

• Review your menu regularly and your needs to hold stock.
• Plan the stock you need for each shift.
• Order carefully.
• Check all stock when it is delivered to ensure it matches the original order. If any products have been substituted be sure to check allergen information and ingredients and where necessary update your allergen information and team members.
• Carry out regular stock checks. Follow the “first in, first out” system of stock rotation so that the older stock is used first. 
• Check dates, temperatures, quality, and spoilage, and make sure packaging is not damaged or contaminated.  Also check for signs of pests.
• Store food off the floor.
• Train staff in stock control procedures.
• Check stock control procedures, including procedures for managing allergens are being followed.

DATE MARKING

 ‘Use-by’ date

This marking has legal significance. It is an offence for a food business to sell or offer for sale food past its Use-by date, as it may be unsafe to consume. Use by dates are typically found on high-risk, ready-to-eat foods like cooked meats and dairy products.

If products are removed from their original packaging, they should be labelled with a new Use-by date — usually two days from opening or in line with the manufacturer’s instructions on the pack. Be sure to follow any specific instructions on the packaging regarding Use-by dates after opening.

‘Best-before’ date

These appear on lower risk foods such as canned, dried and frozen products. These foods have a longer shelf-life. It is not generally an offence to sell food past the Best Before date, providing it is good quality and still fit for consumption. However, good stock control should help to ensure that products are always used within the ‘Best-before’ date.

FOODS THAT NEED EXTRA CARE

Eggs

When storing and handling eggs, the following should be observed:

• Store eggs below 20°C, away from raw meat and strong-smelling foods.
• Never use eggs after their Best-before date.
• Avoid using damaged or dirty eggs.
• If eggs are broken to use later (‘pooling’), keep the liquid egg in the fridge and take out small amounts as needed.
• Use all ‘pooled’ liquid egg on the same day and do not add new eggs to top it up.
• Ensure strict hygiene and hand-washing when handling raw eggs.
• Always cook eggs thoroughly. If the dish will contain raw or lightly cooked egg, use pasteurised egg or British Lion Code eggs.

Shellfish

Keep labels from bags of live bivalve molluscs (oysters, mussels, etc.) for at least 60 days after delivery. This is required by law for traceability.

Before cooking, discard any shellfish that have open or damaged shells.

Rice

Rice can contain spores of harmful bacteria that may not be killed by cooking or reheating. It is important to:

• Keep cooked rice hot (above 63°C) until serving.
• If rice is to be eaten cold it should be thoroughly cooked, chilled down as quickly as possible (within 90 minutes), properly labelled, and stored in the fridge. It should then be used within 24 hours. Although, it is always safer to freshly cook rice each time you need it.

Pulses

Dried pulses such as beans and chickpeas may contain toxins, so it is essential to follow soaking and cooking instructions. Tinned pulses are safe to use directly, as they’ve already been processed.

READY TO EAT FOODS

Ready-to-eat foods are foods that will not be cooked or re-heated before serving. For example; cooked meats, cooked meat products and dairy products. To ensure food safety:

• Check chilled and frozen ready-to-eat foods upon delivery.
• Keep them covered and labelled, separate from raw foods.
• Use clean, disinfected surfaces, knives, and utensils when preparing.
• Store them in the fridge or freezer, away from raw foods, and never use them after their Use-by date.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before handling them.

VEGETABLES & SALADS

• Peel, trim and remove outer parts as appropriate.
• Wash thoroughly in clean drinking quality water.
• Store vegetables in a cool area.  Ensure soil from root crops does not contaminate other foods.

DRIED GOODS

• Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area.
• Ensure sufficient space between supplies for air to flow freely, and to enable checks to be made.
• Ensure packaging is intact and in good condition.
• Use the “first in, first out” system to rotate stock.
• Store dried goods off the floor and ensure they are properly labelled.
• Ensure allergens are managed effectively during storage.

FOOD PREPARATION

• Observe good personal hygiene when handling food including thorough hand washing.
• Use different chopping boards and equipment for raw and ready-to-eat foods.
• Minimise direct handling of food by using tongs and utensils.
• Clean and disinfect equipment and surfaces thoroughly before and after use.
• Keep chilled food out of the fridge for the shortest time possible.
• Ensure allergens are effectively managed during food preparation.

PROTECTING FOOD

It is important to keep food covered to help protect it from harmful bacteria, and to stop objects, chemicals getting into food. Also, to prevent allergen cross-contamination.

Use appropriate coverings such as kitchen foil, cling film, food-grade plastic containers with lids, or freezer bags.

• Always check that the covering is suitable for the intended use.
• Ensure food is fully covered.
• Do not let the covering fall into food.
• Do not re-use food coverings like cling film.
• Reusable containers should be washed, disinfected, and dried between uses.
• Do not re-use cardboard boxes and single-use containers.
• Once opened, remove tinned goods from the tin and store them in suitable lidded containers.
• Throw away packaging, string, etc. as soon as it is removed.
• Repair or replace damaged utensils or equipment.
• Store foods containing allergens away from allergen-free foods.