Purchasing and Receiving Safe Food

Responsibility for the safety of food that enters your establishment Make sure your suppliers

Choosing your suppliers: Make sure your suppliers

1. Are licensed and reputable

2. Have food-safety procedures in place
3. Train employees in food safety
4. Can deliver consistent product quality
5. Can deliver products on time
6. Use delivery trucks in good condition
7. Have clean well run warehouses

General Receiving Guidelines:

1. Train employees
2. Inspect immediately
3. Receive one at a time
4. Plan ahead
5. Have information at hand
6. Correct mistakes immediately
7. Label for storage
8. Schedule during off-peak hours
9. Keep area clean
10. Have a backup menu plan

A. Receiving Fresh Meats: Receive at 41ºF (5ºC) or lower

Accept :
a. Beef color Bright cherry red
b. Lamb color Light red
c. Pork color Pink lean meat, white fat
d. Texture Firm; springs back when touched
Reject
a. Color Brown or greenish- brown, green, or purple blotches; black, white, or green spots
b. Texture Slimy, sticky, or dry
c. Packaging Broken cartons, dirty wrappers, or torn packaging
d. Odor Sour odor

B. Receiving Fresh Poultry: Receive at 41ºF (5ºC) or lower

Accept
a. Color No discoloration
b. Texture Firm; springs back when touched
c. Packaging Should be surrounded by crushed, self-draining ice

Food Flow Purchasing and Receiving Food/ Prof. Julieta M. Indias (FIC) Page 1
 Reject
a. Color Purple or green discoloration around the neck; dark wing tips (red wing tips are acceptable)
b. Texture Stickiness under the wings or around joints
c. Odor Abnormal, unpleasant odor

C. Receiving Fresh Fish : Receive at 41ºF (5ºC) or lower

Accept
a. Color Bright red gills; bright shiny skin
b. Odor Mild ocean or seaweed smell
c. Eyes Bright, clear, and full
d. Texture Firm flesh that springs back when touched

Reject
a. Color Dull gray gills; dull dry skin
b. Odor Strong fishy or ammonia smell
c. Eyes Cloudy, red- rimmed, sunken
d. Texture Soft; leaves an imprint when pressed

D. Receiving Live shell fishes - Receive at 45 ºF (7 ºC) or lower

Accept
a. Odor Mild ocean or seaweed smell
b. Shell Closed and unbroken
c. Condition Shipped alive; identified by shell stock identification tag. Retain tags for ninety days after
product is used
Reject
a. Odor Strong fishy smell
b. Shell Open shells that do not close when tapped; broken shells
c. Condition Dead on arrival
d. Texture Slimy, sticky, or dry

E. Receiving Live Crustaceans - Receive at 45 ºF (7 ºC) or lower

Accept
a. Odor Mild ocean or seaweed smell
b. Shell Hard and heavy for lobsters and crabs
c. Condition Shipped alive; packed with seaweed and kept moist
Reject
a. Odor Strong fishy smell
b. Shell Soft
c. Condition Dead on arrival; tail fails to curl when lobster is picked up

Shell stock Identification Tags

1. Date tags when shellfish are received
2. Keep tags on file for ninety days after last shellfish used
3. Never mix shellfish shipments

F. Receiving Fresh eggs - Receive at ir temperature at 45 ºF (7 ºC) or lower

Accept
a. Odor None
b. Shells Clean and unbroken
c. Condition Firm, high yolks that are not easy to break and whites that cling to yolk
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 Reject
a. Odor Abnormal smell
b. Shells Dirty and cracked

G. Receiving Fresh Dairy - Receive at 41ºF (5ºC) or lower (unless specified by law)
Accept
a. Milk Sweetish flavor
b. Butter Sweet flavor, uniform color, firm texture
c. Cheese Typical flavor and texture, uniform color
Reject
a. Milk Sour, bitter, or moldy
b. Butter Sour, bitter, or moldy taste; uneven color; soft texture
c. Cheese Unnatural mold; uneven color; abnormal flavor or texture

H. Receiving Fresh Produce - Receiving temperatures vary

Accept : Conditions Vary depending on product
Reject
a. Odor Unpleasant
b. Condition Signs of insect infestation; cuts or mushiness; discoloration, wilting or
dull appearance

I. Refrigerated Processed Foods - Receive at 41ºF (5ºC) or lower

(unless otherwise specified)
Accept - Packaging Intact and in good condition
Reject - Packaging Torn/holes; expired use-by dates

J. Frozen Processed Foods - Receive frozen

Accept : Packaging Intact and in good condition
Reject :
a. Packaging Large ice crystals on product/ package; water stains/ liquid on packaging,
b. abnormal color, dry texture

K. Receiving Packaged Foods- MAP, Vacuum-Packed, Sous Vide Foods

Receive at 41ºF (5ºC) or lower (unless specified)
Accept : Packaging Intact and in good condition
Reject :
a. Packaging Leaking; expired code date
b. Appearance Unacceptable product color; appears slimy or bubbles

L. Receiving Canned Goods

Reject if : Swollen ends; Leaks and flawed seals; Rust and dents; No labels

M. Receiving Dry Foods –

Packaging - Reject if with Holes, tears, punctures; Dampness or moisture; with stains
Product - Reject if with insects or eggs; rodent droppings; Abnormal color or odor; Spots of mold ;Slimy

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 MONITORING TIME AND TEMPERATURE

1. Discard food if kept in the temperature danger zone (41ºF to 140ºF or 5ºC to 60ºC) for longer than
four hours.
2. The thermometer may be the single most important tool you have to protect food

I. USING THERMOMETER
1. Keep clean
2. Measure internal temperatures in the thickest part of the product
3. Calibrate regularly
4. Never use glass thermometers

II. BI-METALLIC STEMMED THERMOMETER

III. CALIBRATING THERMOMETERS

A. Ice-Point Method
1. Step One: Fill container with crushed ice and water
2. Step Two: Submerge sensing area of stem in ice water for thirty seconds
3. Step Three : Adjust calibration nut until thermometer reads 32ºF (0ºC)

B. Boiling-Point Method
1. Step One: Bring a pan of water to a boil
2. Step Two : Submerge sensing area of stem in boiling water for thirty seconds
3. Step Three: Adjust calibration nut until thermometer reads 212ºF (100ºC )

IV. CHECKING TENPERATURES

1. Meat, poultry, fish : Insert stem/probe into thickest portion
2. Packaged food : Insert stem/probe between two packages
3. Milk and other liquids : Submerge stem/probe in liquid
4. Bulk liquids: Fold bag over stem/probe
5. Live shellfish : Insert stem/probe into middle of case

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