If chilled food arrives above 8°C, you must reject the delivery immediately and contact the supplier. This is a critical food safety limit that cannot be exceeded under any circumstances. Make sure to record the rejection in your delivery checks and note the temperature that was recorded.
For future deliveries, you should aim to receive chilled foods at 5°C or below, though anything up to 8°C is technically acceptable. Always use a clean, sanitised probe between packs to check temperatures - never pierce the packaging.
Common misunderstanding: If chilled food arrives slightly above 8°C, it can be quickly refrigerated and used safely.
This is incorrect. Once chilled food reaches a temperature above 8°C, it enters the danger zone where bacteria can rapidly multiply, posing a significant health risk. It is crucial to reject these deliveries immediately rather than attempting to cool them down later.
Common misunderstanding: As long as the food appears and smells fine, it doesn't matter if it was delivered at a higher temperature.
Appearance and smell are not reliable indicators of food safety. Harmful bacteria can grow at temperatures above 8°C without altering the food's appearance or smell. Always adhere to temperature guidelines and reject any deliveries that exceed safe limits.
Even if only certain items are above 8°C, those specific items must still be rejected. You can accept the rest of the delivery if those items are at the correct temperature. Make sure to clearly document which items were rejected and why on your delivery paperwork.
Common misunderstanding: If only a few items are above temperature, it is acceptable to mix them with the rest of the delivery.
This is a dangerous assumption. Mixing items that are above the safe temperature threshold with others can lead to cross-contamination and compromise the safety of the entire delivery. Always reject items that do not meet safety standards, even if they are in the minority.
Common misunderstanding: Rejecting individual items is unnecessary if the overall delivery is mostly within temperature limits.
Every item must meet safety standards independently. Even if most of the delivery is within safe temperature limits, any items exceeding 8°C pose a health risk and must be rejected to prevent potential foodborne illnesses.