By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
➢ Apply and demonstrate an understanding of use-by-dates, best before dates, and stock rotation labels.
Date coding perishable supplies
You will be expected to follow date coding procedures for rotation and maximise the use of perishable supplies. Australian law specifies the need for all packaged food with shelf lives of less than two years to have use-by-dates on the primary packaging. Other types of supplies should be coded with best-before dates. It is also a legal requirement for retailers to place date codes on secondary packaging for the purposes of stock rotation and minimisation of wastage. It is essential to ensure that supplies with use-by-dates are consumed before expiration. If this isn’t possible, then they should be considered unsafe and discarded in accordance with organisational expectations.
These perishable foods should have use-by-dates:
➢ Dairy produce
➢ Meat produce
➢ Ready-prepared salads
➢ Prepared fish.
You should be aware that the best-before dates indicate the times from which foods which begin to deteriorate. It might be possible to consume foods for some time after the best-before date. However, there is likely to be some sacrifice in taste and texture. Basic checks should be performed to ensure that such foods remain safe for consumption.
Stock rotation labels
It is common practice to use purpose-made stock rotation labels. They can be attached to containers and raw food supplies. There are a variety of details that may be included on these labels, including the date of storage and expected shelf life of different foods. They may also indicate which foods should be selected first as they are nearing expiry. You may check the labels to ensure the quality of food and prevention of illnesses associated with the serving of perished supplies.
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Activity 1E
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1.6 – Promptly store supplies in appropriate storage area to minimise wastage and avoid food contamination
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
➢ Store supplies in appropriate conditions and follow the principles of stock rotation to minimise wastage and avoid food contamination.
Storing supplies
You should plan and implement appropriate processes for the storage of perishable supplies to minimise wastage and avoid food contamination. It would be advisable to label such supplies as soon as they are delivered to your premises. The labels should specify the nature of ingredients, expiry, and instructions relating to the handling and storage of the supplies. The supplies should then be rapidly transferred to appropriate storage areas to minimise the risk of contamination.
You should use a first in first out (FIFO) stock rotation system, involving the movement of the oldest ingredients to the front of your shelves. This should ensure that they are used first, before expiration. You should be aware that there will be a risk of potentially harmful bacteria accumulating at temperatures between five and sixty-three degrees centigrade. Care should be taken when managing the temperatures of fridges and freezers. It will be necessary to keep any delicate vegetables, including leafy greens, away from the coldest area of your fridge. It would also be advisable to keep any soft fruit, apart from bananas, and salad in the fridge. Any dry goods should be kept on shelves or pallets, away from the floor.
Food wastage may include:
➢ Ingredients that are left over during the preparation stage
➢ Food that is produced in quantities that are too large
➢ Oversized portions which prompt customers to leave leftovers
➢ Food that spoils or goes out of date due to poor stock
rotation or production quality.
There may be the option of vacuum packaging to extend the shelf life of some ingredients. However, you will need to label the vacuum packs with the date on which they have been stored and expected use-by-date. You should also be able to store perishable supplies in airtight containers to limit the risk of dehydration and spoilage. It will be particularly important to separate any meat from fresh produce in the fridge. You should place the meat on lower shelves than perishable ingredients, just in case it drips.
Contamination may occur when:
➢ Cooked product is contaminated by raw product
➢ Edible product is contaminated by waste
➢ Product, people or equipment that have been in contact with products are moved between food handling areas.
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This table highlights the areas of your fridge where particular ingredients should be kept: Area of the fridge Ingredients
Upper shelf
Milk, fruit juice, and other chilled beverages
Middle shelves
Fish, cake, yoghurt, deli meat, and cheese
Lower shelf
Leftover meat, hard vegetables, and berries
Bottom drawers
Fruit, soft vegetables, lettuce, and vacuum packed supplies
Fridge door
Dairy products, eggs, and defrosted ingredients
n.d. retrieved from http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2012/08/25/minimize-food-waste-by-storing-food-in-your-refrigerator-the-right-way/ on 28/10/2016
The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code gives the following definitions:
➢ Contaminant – any biological or chemical agent, foreign matter, or other substances that may compromise food safety or suitability. (Standard 3.1.1)
➢ Contamination – the introduction or occurrence of a contaminant in food. (Standard 3.1.1)
➢ Hazard – a biological, chemical or physical agent in, or condition of, food that has the potential to cause an adverse health effect in humans. (Standard 3.1.1)
➢ Potentially hazardous food – food that has to be kept at certain temperatures to minimise the growth of any pathogenic microorganisms that may be present in the food or to prevent the formation of toxins in the food. (Standard 3.2.2)
It should be recognised that you have a legal responsibility to prevent the various types of contamination. Your business premises will be regularly inspected by an authorised officer from the Food Authority or local council to ensure that appropriate standards are being maintained. If they find that you have taken necessary measures to prevent contamination, then your business may face legal consequences. It is also possible that you will give your customers food poisoning if preventative measures aren’t taken. They may make complaints and spread the word about your business.
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Different types of contamination include:
➢ Microbiological – the non-intended or accidental introduction of infectious bacteria, yeast, viruses and other elements which pose a risk to individuals. Bacteria are the most common form of microbiological contaminants, and they can multiply very quickly if the appropriate conditions aren’t maintained
➢ Chemical – involving the contact of food with chemicals which may result in chemical food poisoning. Examples of potentially harmful chemicals include cleaning substances, unwashed fruit and vegetables, and containers made from unsafe plastics
➢ Physical – substances which have been introduced into food against the intention of the manufacturer. Examples of physical contaminants include hair, plastic, and glass.
It might be deemed necessary to quarantine the following items to minimise the risk of contamination:
➢ Chemicals
➢ Clothing
➢ Personal belongings.
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Activity 1F
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- Maintain perishable supplies at optimum quality
2.1. Regularly check and adjust environmental conditions of all storage areas and equipment to maintain perishable supplies at optimum quality
2.2. Conduct temperature checks according to food safety procedures, and protect supplies from spoilage
2.3. Protect supplies from damage of cross-contamination and pests
2.4. Rotate perishable supplies for maximum use according to expiration dates
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2.1 – Regularly check and adjust environmental conditions of all storage areas and equipment to maintain perishable supplies at optimum quality
2.2 – Conduct temperature checks according to food safety procedures, and protect supplies from spoilage
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
➢ Perform checks and ensure the appropriate storage of food in accordance with the food safety standards
➢ Perform temperature checks and use a variety of preservation methods to protect supplies from storage.
Checking and adjusting
It has already been mentioned that fridges should be kept at temperatures of up to five degrees centigrade. Freezers should be maintained at temperatures of -18 degrees centigrade or below. However, you will need to carry out checks to ensure that your fridges and freezers are operating effectively and keeping supplies at the appropriate temperatures. If you carry out checks and make necessary adjustments, then it should be possible to maintain perishable supplies at optimum quality. It would be advisable to carry out checks of different storage areas at least twice per day. It might be necessary to estimate the appropriate timings for your temperature checks.
The food safety standards specify the following requirements in relation to storage:
➢ A food business must, when storing food, store the food in such a way
that
o it is protected from the likelihood of contamination
o the environmental conditions under which it is stored will not
adversely affect the safety and suitability of the food
➢ A food business must, when storing potentially hazardous food
o store it under temperature control
o if it is food that is intended to be stored frozen, ensure the food remains frozen during storage.
You can test the temperature of your fridge by placing a cup of water with a cooking thermometer inside for two hours or more. This process may be repeated when testing the temperature of your freezer. However, you should use alcohol or cooking oil instead of water. Alternatively, it may be possible to carry out simple checks via the inbuilt fridge and freezer temperature controls.
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Another option would be to use a probing thermometer to check the temperatures of supplies that are kept in fridges and dry storage areas. However, you will need to follow procedures to ensure that thermometers are clean before use. It will also be necessary to sanitise or disinfect the thermometers immediately after they have been used for probing. You may ensure that the freezer is operating properly by checking supplies for defrosting or thawing.
You are advised to conduct regular checks to ensure the stability of temperature. If the correct temperatures aren’t being maintained, then you may have to make adjustments via the controls. If you aren’t sure how to make the necessary changes, then you should ask a supervisor or another senior staff member. It might be necessary to call upon technical assistance.
Signs of faulty fridges and freezers include:
➢ Food becoming partially frozen or remaining warm after being placed in
the fridge
➢ Substantial quantities of ice building on the fridge walls
➢ Melting ice in the freezer
➢ Supplies becoming spoilt before the specified expiry date
➢ Condensation accumulating inside the fridge.
Certain types of dry goods won’t have to be kept in the fridge or freezer. You should have dedicated storage areas for such supplies. They might be placed in cupboards and on shelves. However, you should ensure that the appropriate temperatures are maintained and that such areas don’t become too warm. The ideal temperature of dry storage areas will be between ten and twenty-one degrees centigrade. You should use a temperature for regular checking of dry storage areas.
Ventilation and humidity
The Australia New Zealand food safety standard specifies the need for food premises to have natural or mechanical ventilation for the purpose of maintaining appropriate temperatures and minimising the risk of contamination. It will be necessary to maintain the cleanliness of such systems and ensure that they are operating effectively. You should also be aware that variations in humidity levels will have an effect on perishable supplies. High levels of humidity are recommended for the storage of many fruit and vegetable varieties. However, the humidity should be reduced to prevent the spoilage of berries and other soft fruits.
Perishables should be protected from exposure to:
➢ Heating or air conditioning
➢ Accidental damage through people traffic
➢ Environmental heat and light.
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Protecting supplies from spoilage
You should be aware that all perishable supplies will spoil over time. Bacteria will build up, causing the production of acids and other waste products which have undesirable effects. However, there are a number of steps that can be taken to extend the shelf life of perishable ingredients. You should be aware that the refrigeration of such ingredients will minimise the build-up of potentially harmful microorganisms and the production of enzymes which cause spoilage. You should also be aware that such microorganisms cannot accumulate on frozen food.
The indicators of spoilage and contamination include:
➢ Degradation of flavour, aroma, colour and texture
➢ Enzymic browning
➢ Drying and hardening
➢ Crystalisation
➢ Infestation of animal and pest waste
➢ Mould
➢ Exposed packaged food through damaged packaging
➢ odour
Preservation methods include:
➢ Vacuum packaging
➢ Adding sugar to soft fruits
➢ Smoking
➢ Adding preservative food additives
➢ Canning.
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