Safe Food Storage and Displaying
Food naturally contains bacteria and some food may contain food poisoning bacteria which can make you sick. If food in not stored or displayed properly, these bacteria can multiply to dangerous levels.If this occurs, the result can be food poisoning. Food poisoning is a very serious matter, both for the person affected, and for the business which supplied the food.
One case of food poisoning can close down a business. However, there are food storage and display practices which have been developed to minimise the risk of food poisoning.
Temperature Danger ZoneTimeOne of the most important factors for bacterial growth is temperature. The temperature range between 5 degrees C and 60 degrees C is known as the temperature danger zone. Bacteria grow and multiply faster in this temperature range.
For this reason, you must ensure that food spends only the minimum possible time between 5 degrees C and 60 degrees C.
Keeping food at the correct temperature will not only help reduce the risk of causing illness, but it will also reduce food spoilage and maximise the shelf life of the food.
High Risk Foods
Certain types of food are called high risk foods because they provide a good environment for the growth of bacteria.
High risk foods include those which contain meat, poultry, dairy products and seafood.
Always keep high risk foods below 5 degrees C or above 60 degrees C.
Foods which are not high risk; include dried food powders in their original packaging, jars and cans or other containers of food which have been processed by heat. Once these foods are opened they may become high risk foods.
Another important factor affecting bacterial growth is time. You should always prepare food from the freshest possible ingredients, and serve it as soon as possible after preparation.
Storing Food
Food must be stored in areas speci_cally designed for that purpose, such as refrigerators, coolrooms, pantries and food storerooms. Food should not be stored on the floor or on pallets, as this encourages insects and rodents, and makes cleaning difficult.
Cool rooms, refrigerators and freezers must be provided with appropriate fixed temperature measurement devices.
Chemicals and equipment used for cleaning, clothing and personal belongings, must never be kept in food storage areas.
If you use food storage containers, make sure they are new or in good repair, and have only been previously used for the storage of food. Cover food with tight fitting lids, foil or plastic film, to prevent the food from drying out and to prevent anything from falling into it. Once a can of food is opened, any remaining food should be transferred to a suitable container and not stored in the can.
Make sure that food does not remain in storage too long by using older stock first. This is called stock rotation.
Cross Contamination
Raw foods are contaminated with bacteria. To prevent food poisoning, keep cooked and ready-to-eat foods separate from raw foods to avoid bacteria from the raw food contaminating food which will not be cooked again. For this reason, raw food should always be stored beneath cooked food, to prevent contamination from dripping liquids.
Displaying Food
Counters
Food that is displayed on counters should either be wrapped or covered to protect it from contamination.Refrigerated Display Cabinets
Food in refrigerated displays must be kept at or below 5 degreesC. Frozen food intended for resale in a frozen state, must be kept frozen at or below -15 C until sold.Allow adequate space for air to circulate around the food.
Bain Maries and Other Holding Equipment for Hot Food
Bain maries are designed for keeping hot food hot (60 degrees C or above), not for heating food. If they are used for heating, they will heat very slowly, and food will spend too long in the Temperature Danger Zone.Food should be heated so that the core temperature of the food is at 70 degrees C before being placed in the bain marie. Food should only be kept in a bain marie for a maximum of one hour.
Preheat your bain marie before use, and operate it on the highest temperature setting. Check the temperature of the food in your bain marie regularly, with a clean immersion thermometer, to ensure that it does not fall below 60 degrees C.
Food must not be stacked above the level of the trays, or else it will not remain sufficiently hot and will fall into the temperature danger zone.
Tags and Labels
Tags can carry bacteria, so only tag food that will be cooked, e.g. raw meat. For cooked and ready-to-eat food, use tags or labels on the trays, and not on the food itself.
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Thursday January 14, 2010 15:43:37 (last updated)