Food Control

Chapter III
•The following is the operating sequence for
all food service establishments:
• Purchasing
•Receiving
•Storing
•Producing
•Issuing
•Selling and Serving
Food: Purchasing Control
Purchasing authority in foodservice operations can be delegated to
any fof a number of people depending on organiztional structure
and management rules. In some institutions, it is uncommon for
the purchasing task to be assigned to the owners or managers,
whilst in others, the purchase tasks may be allocated to a chef or a
steward. Foods may even be ordered by someone in purchasing
department who is responsible for procuring all goods used on the
property in some hotel/motel companies.
The critical aspect here is that the authority to purchase food, as
well as the duty for doing so should be delegated to a single’s
person for control purposes. The food controllers system of control
procedures can then be held accountable for that individual.
Perishables and Nonperishables
• Perishables food is defined as food that has a short
shelf life after it has been received, usually fresh foods.
Ex. Different types of vegetables like lettuce and fresh
seafood quickly lose their quality. Some meats and
cheeses will keep their quality for longer periods of
time, but the quality of these perishables will
deteriorate much faster than the quality of
nonperishables, such as canned goods. Perishables on
the other hand, should be purchased for immediate
consumption in order to benefit from the desired
quality at the time of purchase.
• Nonperishables foods have longer life than perishable food.
Often referred to as groceries or staples, they can be kept for
weeks or even months in the packaging or containers which they
are received, often on shelves at rooom temperature. As long as
they are kept unopened and at appropriate temperatures, they
do not decay quickly. Nonperishables are commonly purchased
and stored in jars, bottles, cans, bags, and boxes; the storage area
in which they are maintained frequently referred to as
storeroom, resembles the shelves of a supermarket to the
layperson. Because these foods do not spoil fast, it is possible to
maintain a sufficient supply on hand to use as needed. Salt,
sugar, caneed fruits and vefgetables, spices, and flavoring are
examples of foods trhat belong under tbis category of
nonperishables.
Establishing Quality and Quantity
Standards.
• Someone in management must first decide which foods, both
perishable and nonperishable, will be necessary for day-to-
day operations before any wise purchasing can be done. The
menu serves as the foundation for compiling a list of these
dishes. Tomatoes and tomato derivaties are used in most
restaurant fir a variety of functions, including salad elements,
sauce ingredients, and so on. Tomatoes and tomato products
are available fresh and processed. In various grades, at the
same time. Before making a purchase, consider the brand,
sizes, packaging, and degree of freshness, in among other
factors.
Standard purchase specifications can be beneficial in at
least six ways if they are carefully prepared.
• They compel the owners or managers to identify exact amount
requirements ahead of time.
• They are frequently used in menu preparation: a single piece of beef,
purchased to specifiactions can be used to make a variety of menu
items.
• They clear up any miscommunication between supervisors and
purveyors.
• True competitive bidding is achivable when specifications for a product
are distributed to numerous purveyors
• They reduced the need for comprehensive verbal product descriptions
each time a product is ordered.
• They make it easier to inspect food as it is delivered.
Perishables
• Due to the nature of perishable goods, its critical to use up what you have
before buying more. As a result, the purchase procedure must allow for
determination of amounts already on habd. Total qunatities required must also
be determined. Once youve calculated these numbers, the difference between
the total quantities and the quantity at hand is the correct number to order.

Amount needed (par) – amount on hand = then order the difference

• The quantity is usually referred to as par, or par stock, in industry. Although it is

widely accepted that par stock is a number of units connected to usafe and the
time it takes to receive delivery no precise definition of the term exist.
• The steward must take a daily inventory of perishables as part of the
purchasing routine. This daily inventory maybe a physical inventory in some
circumstances. In other cases, it may merely be a guess based in physical
observation.
 Nonperishables
• Although nonperishables foods do not suffer from quick
detoriaration, they nontheless represent significant financial
investments in storage materials. Obviously capital invested in
nonperishables is not available ot cover the other business
needs. As a sresult, one purpose of the nonperishables
purchase routine should be to prevent keeping excessive
quantities on hand. Key features of reducing inventory
reduction in the number of people needed to maintain the
storage area.