By Sarah Thelen

Dietetic Intern

Benedictine University

OverviewObjectives A quick review ofTop 12 Foods LabelingHoldingRotation of InventoryTemperaturesProduct PlacementPreventing Cross-Contamination in Refrigerated StorageDry Storage

ObjectivesUpon completion of this in-service, and its accompanying self-study manual dietary staff will be educated or refreshed on the topic of proper storage.

By the end of this presentation dietary staff will:

oAble to recognize foods most at risk for cross contaminationoAble to recognize and apply proper refrigerated storage techniquesoAble to recognize incorrect methods of refrigerated storage, and how to correct themoAble to identify correct & incorrect oUnderstand how correct storage methods prevent again:

•Foodborne illnesses•Pests•Loss or damage of inventory

A Quick ReviewTerminology:

oTCS TIME CONTROL FOR SAFETYoRTE Ready-to-EatoDanger Zone 40-140°, Pathogen grow with ease in the Danger Zone

Foodborne Illnesses:oPork that is improperly stored/prepared can cause TrichinosisoChicken that is improperly stored/prepared can cause salmonellaoGround beef that is improperly stored/prepared can cause E-ColioSliced deli meats, and RTE foods can responsible for Listeria if not stored properlyoDented or misshapen can be an indicator of Clostridium Botulinum(botulism), these should be discardedoShrimp that is improperly stored/prepared can cause vibrio vulnificus & v. parahaemolyticus

Review Cont.Remember no matter how much care you put into storage, if employees improperly handle the food- it won’t matter how safe it was or was not stored, remember to always:

oWash hands upon entering & leaving kitchen areaoWash hands before & after use of gloves (especially if you finish one type of prep, and move on to another)oNever use same utensils on meats & RTE foods ( and vise versa)oWash hands after using the restroomoNever use bare hand-to-food contactoMake sure any wounds, or cuts are cleaned and coveredoSterilize thermometers after each use with the ETOH pads

Top 12 Foods Most Likely to Become “Unsafe”

1. Milk & Dairy Products2. Eggs3. Meat: beef, pork, & lamb4. Poultry: chicken & turkey5. Fish6. Shellfish & crustaceans: shrimp, oysters7. Baked Potatoes8. Heat treated plant foods: rice, beans, and vegetables9. Untreated garlic & oil mixtures10.Sliced melons/fruits11. Cut tomatoes12.Cut leafy greens

LabelingImportant to prevent foodborne illness & confusionWhat can happen is an item is prepared, not labeled and used past its appropriate date, or thrown out too early as a measure of safetyTo avoid confusion, waste, and illness here are effective tips for labeling

oLabels should ALWAYS include the name of the food, and the date by which it should be sold, eaten, or thrown-outoLabel all TCS, & RTE that is prepped in- house that you have held for longer than 24 hours

Labeling Cont.

oStore all ready-to-eat TCS foods that have been prepared for a maximum of seven days at 41°F or lowero With items that have been made with previously cooked and stored food, the new item should be labeled by the date of the previously cooked item

•For example: If previously prepared beef is use to make a meat sauce, the sauce should be labeled with the ground beef’s throw-away date

Holding FoodFood must also be stored and heated & cooled correctly why it is being held

Guidelines to controlling contamination of foods are:oTemperatureoThermometeroTimeoHolding EquipmentoCovers & Sneeze Guards oFollowing the policies set by the facility, the Food-Service Director, and other local & state policies

Holding FoodThere are different guidelines for holding hot foods & cold foods

Hot Foodso Hold foods at 140°F or high before removing it from temperature controlo May be held without temperature control for up to four hourso When it is removed from temp-control, that time should be labeled, and the time four hours from that point, at when the item should be discarded

Cold Foodso May be held without temperature control, up to 6 hourso Hold foods at < 41° while being refrigeratedo Label food with the time you removed it from refrigeration, and the

time it must be thrown out (six hours from the time it was removedo Make sure food does not exceed 70°F while being served

Rotation of Inventory

Rotating the inventory is important so the oldest food is used first to prevent loss of inventory, and preventing illness

In a facility such as this it is unlikely that foods in dry storage will not be used before their throw away/expiration date, it is still important to keep everything labeled, and have an inventory system

Rotation of Inventory: FIFOFirst-In, First Out (FIFO) is one of the most effective & widely used, oldest inventory is used first, provided it is still good here are some tips to use FIFO:

oIdentify the food item’s “use-by” or “expiration date”, upon receiving the itemsoStore items with the earliest use-by/expiration dates in front of the same items with later use by datesoUse items in front firstoAlways check the labels before using a product, if it’s past its date- toss it!!oFor items that are stored in bins, and pass their “use-by” date, clean and sanitize the container before refilling itoFor items like flour they can be kept up to 12 months before it should discardedoAlways throw away food that has passed its manufacturer’s use-by or expiration date

TemperaturesKeep TCS food at 41°F or lower, or at 140° or higher depending on what type of food it is Check temperature of stored food and storage areas at the beginning of each shiftIf at the begging of the shift, the temperatures of any storage areas are too low, or too high, alert management before any of that food is used for prepIf you are the manager use your best judgment- but it’s always better to be safe than sorry

Product Placement Store appropriate foods in appropriate containersContainers should be durable, leak proof, and able to be sealed or covered NEVER use empty food containers to shore chemicals-especially if you plan to reuse them to hold food againNEVER put food in empty chemical containersStore food, linens, and single use items in designated areasStore food, linens, and single use items away from walls and at least six inches off the floor

Dry StorageIt is important that dry storage areas are cool, dry placesTo keep food at its highest quality and to assure food safety, the temperature of the dry-storage area should be between 50°F & 70°FStore dry food away from walls and at least six inches off of the floor, this helps not only for obvious sanitation purposes but food items (even bagged, or packaged) left on the floor attract pestsMake sure products in dry storage are sealed properly and not leaking, if so these items must be thrown out, and the area cleaned and sanitized, as to avoid pestsDry-storage must be well ventilated to help keep temperature and humidity constant throughout the storage area

Refrigerated StorageMany time refrigerated storage is something that is overlooked. Just because items are labeled and refrigerated does not mean they are safe & sanitaryAlways store food in ways that prevent cross-contamination

by:oWrapping or covering foods with lids and appropriate plastic wrap (don’t for get the label)oStore refrigerated raw, meat, poultry, and seafood separately from Ready-To-Eat FoodoIf ready-to-eat food cannot be stored separately from the uncooked meats, then ready-to-eat food foods must ALWAYS be stored above the uncooked meats.

•The will prevent juices from raw foods from dripping onto the ready-to-eat food

oStore raw meat, poultry, and seafood in cooler by the handout given

Participation!!

Meats can be stored with and above ready-to-eat foods as long as they are wrapped? True or false?

FALSE

Participation

It’s safe to store chemicals in food containers as long as they will be washed & sanitized before being used for food again

FALSE

Participation

TRUE

All foods should have a label, that says the what the food is, and when it was opened, & when it should be thrown out

Any Questions?