8065-01 Unit 203: Food safety in catering

Food safety
Know how to receive
and store food safely
 Food Deliveries

All Hospitality establishments receive a wide range of

supplies throughout the week, from cleaning materials to
wine and beer; fresh fruit, meat and seafood to linen and
equipment.

It is important that the supplies are checked and taken to

the correct area.

Even more importantly, you need to confirm that someone

ordered the supplies and that the order you received is
correct.

Remember – Supplies cost money, only pay for what

you get!
 Food Deliveries

Receiving Goods and Documentation

Receiving kitchen supplies is not as simple as a delivery person handing over some fruit and vegetables. You
need to ensure that the correct ordering and receiving processes are followed and that the goods you are
receiving are in good condition.

The goods must be taken to the correct storage areas and paperwork must be completed. What types of goods
will you be receiving? There are several types of goods and items that are delivered to Hospitality establishments
on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. These include:

➢ Dry goods – at ambient temperature

➢ Dairy products – at chilled temperature
➢ Fresh and frozen meat, seafood and poultry – at chilled and frozen temperature
➢ Fruit and vegetables – at ambient, chilled and frozen temperature
➢ Beverages – at ambient and chilled temperature
➢ Kitchen equipment and utensils
➢ Cleaning products and equipment
➢ Linen, e.g. tea towels, serviettes, tablecloths, aprons
➢ Stationery and assorted goods
 Food Deliveries

The Delivery Process

The delivery process is part of a bigger process known as the stock control cycle. In general terms, the Control
Cycle refers to a process that starts with the purchase of stock items and culminates with the sale or consumption
of the stock item, or a product that incorporates the stock item. Therefore the cycle could include processes
associated with:

➢ Purchasing
➢ Receiving
➢ Storage
➢ Issuing
➢ Production
➢ Service
➢ Sales
 Catering Control Cycle

Purchasing and Receiving Goods

Orders are placed with the suppliers based on specifications e.g. A grade apples. When receiving goods ensure
that the delivered goods align with the quality and quantities on the order form. Check for any damage, use-by-
date, pest infestation and internal temperature if required.

➢ With ambient temperature goods check the overall condition e.g. Dents, bloated cans, broken product such
as pasta or packaging

➢ With chilled foods check condition and internal temperature, packaging and data log if supplied

➢ With frozen foods ensure that temperature is below -18°C and does not show signs of defrosting or freezer
burn
 Stock Rotation Systems

FIFO Principle
➢ First In First Out (FIFO) is the basic principle under which all stock is managed. Simply put, it means that the
first order of a product received is the first of that product to be used.

➢ When putting foods away in the dry store, for example, you place the new product underneath, or behind the
old product. This way, everyone knows that the most easily obtainable product of that type is the first to be
used. Alternatively, you label the product with a date stamp or tag.

➢ The same applies to prepared food items. You should label the item to indicate what it is and when it was
produced. Colour-coded tags assist with this as you can see immediately which items should be used first.

➢ Other automated labelling systems can be used e.g. bar codes which can be read quickly with a scanner

➢ When labelling product two methods are used: best before and use by dates. Best before means the product
has some storage life left but may be inferior in taste or texture. Use by date means the product has to be
used by that date
GIGO = Garbage In, Garbage Out
➢ For example, prawns with melanosis (blackspot) should be peeled and used immediately. If not peeled, the
flavour of the prawns will be inferior.
 Food Storage

Storage Areas
Storage is mainly broken into 2 types, wet and dry storage. Wet storage refers to the storage of perishables in
either a coolroom/refrigerator or freezer, whilst dry storage refers to the well ventilated dry goods room where
limited humidity and a temperature of ~10-16°C are desirable

➢ You need to know which foods should be stored where. This varies according to climate and season. In winter
or cooler climates you may store some whole vegetables such as onions, potatoes and pumpkins in a
separate preparation room, whilst in tropical climates you need to consider how quickly they will deteriorate
when choosing the appropriate storage conditions

➢ Coolrooms and freezers must have an external thermometer that displays the internal temperature. Quite
often they are fitted with an alarm that alerts you to any problems, such as power outage or a faulty
condenser. Data logs are also kept to show the temperature variations, which is important for HACCP
compliance. Smaller fridges also need a thermometer to display the temperature and/or a mobile data
logger. Store raw and cooked foods separately

➢ All wet storage areas require a log sheet where the actual temperatures are recorded several times each day.
This is a recording requirement under HACCP programs and it will help in clearly documenting temperature
history in any food safety incidents
 Food Storage

Impact of Temperature Requirements

Temperatures vary for different items. In general, most items are stored between 1°C and 4°C. However, seafood
is usually stored with ice, so a temperature range of 0°C and 2°C applies and some vegetables and fruit can be
stored between 1°C and 7°C.

These different temperature requirements can be easily managed within a coolroom as there are colder and
warmer zones. Coolrooms are generally warmer near the door and colder at the back, near the vent.

In the case of seafood, control the temperature by placing crushed ice on top of the covered item. Larger
establishments have separate coolrooms for the major food groups, e.g. vegetables, dairy, meat and seafood, as
well as separate freezers for seafood and meat. This allows for greater control over storage temperatures.

Some items should be stored at warmer temperatures, while others should be frozen. Storage areas need to be
able to handle these requirements.

Controlling the temperature assists in preventing bacteria from developing on food or pathogenic bacteria in high
risk foods
 Food Storage

Danger Zone

Between 5°C and 60°C is referred to as the danger zone. This is a temperature range where disease-causing
bacterial growth thrives, being at its most active at 37°C. This is the temperature of our blood and in many
instances close to the room temperature in a lot of kitchens. To avoid spoilage and possible food poisoning,
exposure of perishable items to this temperature range should be kept to a minimum.

High risk foods such as meat, poultry, game, seafood, cooked rice, milk and custards should be stored under the
following conditions:

➢ Refrigerated between 1°C and 4°C

➢ On clean trays, covered and labelled showing the product contents, date and name of the person who stored
or produced the product. Depending on the items being stored, trays should be regularly changed to avoid the
items sitting in pooled blood or their own juices, as this accelerates spoilage and leads to “off” odours

➢ Store each type of protein separately and keep them away from cooked food items, to avoid cross-
contamination

➢ Store only for short timeframes

 Food Storage

With chilled items it is important to maintain your fridges well. Clean door seals will keep your fridge airtight. If
mould forms (particularly near the fan) remove it immediately with a light bleach solution. Mould has the potential
to spread throughout the fridge and contaminate all your food.

Plastic curtains on a coolroom door will ensure that only a limited amount of cooled air escapes and that the
temperature stays fairly stable. This is important in busy areas like the kitchen, where the chef may go in and out
of the coolroom several times during service.

Rotate food in all storage areas and especially in the freezer to prevent freezer burn.

Pest Prevention
To prevent pest from getting into food ensure that food is stored in airtight containers and off the floor. Using
preventative measures such as closure of gaps, zappers and pest control schedules to limit opportunities for pests
 Food Storage

Cross contamination

Chef’s Hint: Contaminated food may appear completely fine, as you cannot always smell, taste or see the
contamination! Consider direct contamination of storing raw and cooked foods together, dripping of liquids and
blood onto other foods and indirect contamination by using equipment such as a knife for different tasks and
transferring bacteria

There are three types of cross contamination:

➢ Biological contamination – arises from disease-causing microorganisms such as bacteria, moulds, yeasts,
viruses or fungi. Signs of biological contamination include: slime or mould on the surface, strong odours,
discolouration and the development of gas (bubbles or foam)
➢ Physical contamination – occurs when food contains foreign matter such as glass, scourer shavings, wood
or porcelain pieces. Food is often physically contaminated before it arrives at the business
➢ Chemical contamination – arises from food being in contact with pesticides, toxic material or chemicals,
which may be either naturally occurring or manmade
 Food Storage

Prevention of Cross Contamination

As outlined in the hygiene unit key steps for prevention are:

➢ Regular hand washing and hygiene processes

➢ Cleaning schedules
➢ Use of colour coded cutting boards
➢ Preparing food in smaller amounts and returning to the coolroom immediately
➢ Separation of preparation areas and cooking areas
➢ Separation of products in storage e.g. dairy, vegetables, fruit, meat, seafood
➢ Use of clean as you go principle and clear workflows
➢ Training of staff in correct processes
Food Probe Rules

Using food thermometers can also lead to contamination. When using thermometers ensure that the thermometer
is disinfected prior to use and after use. Calibrate the thermometer regularly by using ice or boiling water (at sea
level) as a gauge.
 Thawing Foods

Thawing Food Items

Many hospitality businesses depend on frozen food products. There are serious contamination issues if using the
incorrect methods such as placing food into water or simply leaving it out overnight!
Place food onto trays and cover and label it. The trays should be placed on a low shelf in the coolroom or fridge so
that any drips or juices do not contaminate other items. Never run hot/warm water over food to thaw it!

Record Keeping
As outlined in the hygiene unit documentation is a key aspect of HACCP. Logs must be kept for the key steps in
the catering cycle:

➢ Delivery records – monitors product condition and temperature at point of delivery

➢ Coolroom and Freezer records – monitors daily temperature variations
➢ Cooking and Cooling records – monitors internal temperature of foods produced
There are strict rules governing how food should be cooled and heated. If food has been cooked, then it must be
cooled within a certain timeframe. This is referred to as the 2hour/4hour rule. Food must be cooled from 60°C to
21°C within 2 hours and from 21°C to 5°C within 4 hours. Note that this is the internal temperature, not the
external temperature!
 Heat Treatment Processes

All microorganisms have a optimum set of conditions that allows them to grow, e.g. at
37°C, in the presence of oxygen, with a pH of 6.8. By altering the conditions, the
microorganisms are unable to grow well, or not able to grow at all.
Examples of preservation methods that work by altering the conditions include:

➢ Canning – food is cooked in liquid in a sealed container, preventing oxygen from coming into contact with the
food. Commercial canning involves high temperatures for extended periods of time, which also kills anaerobic
(no oxygen) bacterial spores

➢ UHT – ultra high temperature treatment is a variation on traditional pasteurisation and involves rapidly heating
liquids to ~140°C for 1-2 seconds. It is then rapidly cooled and placed in sterile, airtight containers. This
treatment is commonly used for milk and fruit juice, which can last for more than 6 months if unopened

➢ Pasteurisation involves heating milk to 71°C for 15-20 seconds to reduce the numbers of microorganisms

➢ Boiling will kill most bacteria and prolongs the shelf life of many foods like soups, stocks and sauces whilst
providing safer conditions for the use of high risk foods in menu items like custards and creams. It is commonly
used for short term preservation.