How I Use the Storing Food Safely Template with Customers in Pilla

Safe storage of food

It is essential that different types of foods are stored separately under different storage conditions to maintain both the safety and the quality of the food.

The following guidelines should be followed to ensure that foods are not exposed to unnecessary hazards and/or risks.

Refrigerated/chilled foods

Certain foods must be stored in a refrigerator to keep them microbiologically safe up to the use by date as issued by the manufacturer or from in house preparation guidelines issued by the food standards agency.

Chilled storage slows down the rate of multiplication of bacteria in the food, even cooked food still contains tiny amounts of bacteria.

Foods that must be kept in a refrigerator are:

• All foods with a use by date or are highly perishable
• Prepared foods that will not be served immediately
• Cooked food cooled down for future cold service or reheating
• Ready to eat foods (RTE)
• Raw foods intended for consumption without prior heat treatment
• Prewashed salad
• Foods with best before dates after opening (follow manufacturer's instructions for safe use)
• Pasteurised products such as milk, orange juice also some types of canned meat
• Food that is being defrosted (extra care must be taken if raw, see guidelines below)

Raw products

Raw meat, fish, poultry - these will potentially have bacteria in them naturally as they are high protein and moist and therefore easily support the growth of bacteria, we do not want the levels of bacteria to increase as toxins may be produced which may present further hazards, therefore these foods must also be kept refrigerated to ensure the growth of bacteria remains relatively static until such a time as the food can be cooked to destroy bacteria to a point that the food can be safely consumed. These products will also have use by dates on their labels.

These products must be stored separately and if possible in separate fridges, they must be adequately wrapped/contained to prevent drip contamination. Personal hygiene when handling these products must be robust.

Use by date checks

Use by dates on foods must be checked daily, chefs should manage their stock levels and fridges to ensure efficient stock rotation to avoid wasted food.

• Any foods that have exceeded the use by date must be removed from the storage area to a designated area, labelled clearly as "not for consumption", it should be disposed of or returned to the supplier

Note: Food that has exceeded its use by date found in a fridge during an inspection, the EHO will assume food was being used, an emergency hygiene prohibition notice may be issued which may lead to closure of the business.

Best before date checks

Best before dates allocated to low risk and dry/ambient foods refer to quality of the product rather than the safety of the product. If these foods have been stored under the correct storage conditions the date gives an approximate guarantee of quality up to that date, the quality cannot be guaranteed after that date, although it may still be safe to eat.

Best before dates should be checked regularly and stock rotated appropriately to ensure no wastage occurs. Food past its best before date can still be sold as long as the customer is made aware that the quality may be compromised.

Some manufactured high-risk products that have been canned/sterilized/ultra-heat treated may be treated as low risk products and stored under dry/ambient conditions with a best before date. However, once opened they must be treated as high risk products and used immediately.

Storage separation

• Ready to eat or cooked foods must be kept separated from raw products including eggs and vegetables at all times
• RTE/cooked foods should always have adequate coverings/containers/cling film/foil etc. as these foods will not undergo any further processes that would make them safe to eat, they are therefore extremely vulnerable to contamination
• Raw foods must also be contained to prevent direct, indirect and drip contamination of RTE/cooked foods
• Ideally raw foods should be stored in separate fridges, if this is not possible, then they should be stored at the bottom of the fridge and cooked/RTE foods stored near to the top of the fridge

Prepared and batch cooked foods

Batch cooked and prepared foods must be appropriately date marked, foods for refrigeration only must be given a use by date indicating two days after the preparation day i.e. Cooked Monday, use by Wednesday. Frozen cooked products can be given a shelf life of one month i.e. Prepped/cooked 15th June, use by 15th July.

Note: These guidelines only apply as long as the products have been stored under the correct temperature control conditions. If the critical temperature limits have been breached during storage the product may require immediate use or need to be discarded.

Opened and decanted food

• Once a hermetically sealed packet / jar / pouch / tin has been opened allowing oxygen in, then decanted into another container, then it must be immediately labelled, refrigerated and used by the date marked on the original packaging
• Original contents must be indicated on the new label for the purposes of allergen management
• Canned food once opened, must not be stored in the original can, but decanted into a food safe plastic lidded container. The manufacturer's instructions must then be followed
• Additionally, metal utensils must not be left in acidic foods as trace metal contamination can occur, acidic foods in addition can be very damaging to certain metals causing them to react creating poisonous compounds as well as making metal brittle

Manufacturers guidance on labels

• Always follow the manufacturers recommended guidance printed on the original packaging, this information is based on solid scientific evidence gathered regarding the safety and the quality of the food
• Original information should be transferred to decanted foods, especially allergen information and storage conditions and usable date for food safety
• Ensure labels used can accommodate all relevant information required to ensure food safety

Ambient / Dry storage

• Food must not be stored directly on floors or touching walls in a dry store, as they can pick up moisture which will potentially compromise the safety and quality of the products
• Dry stores should ideally use racking, enabling a sufficient air flow around the products
• Dry stores should be checked regularly for pest contamination, activity and ingress
• Ideally stores should be cool and dry, ensure these environmental conditions are maintained

Refrigerated storage

• Check fridge/chiller temperatures frequently and record. Target temperature below 5°c, critical limit 8°c. If this is exceeded carry out corrective measures and record
• Ensure total separation of raw products from RTE/cooked products at all times, ideally in separate units
• Cover all foods
• Label all foods with use by/best before dates and allergen information
• Maintain refrigerated units/chillers. Planned maintenance will be better than reactive maintenance
• Regularly check fridge seals for integrity and cleanliness
• Rotate stock every day, use FIFO system i.e. First in first out, checking use by dates frequently
• Only use food grade containers/packaging materials
• Do not leave half empty cans/tins in fridge, decant into lidded container
• Keep fridge cleaned and disinfected
• Do not overfill fridge, allow gaps between foods and do not let food touch the sides or the back of the fridge
• Do not allow hot foods to be cooled by using the fridge, allow hot foods to cool to room temperature before storing in fridge

Frozen storage

• Check freezer temperature frequently and record. Target temperature below -18°c, critical limit -15°c. If this is exceeded carry out corrective measures and record
• Ensure total separation of raw products from RTE / cooked products at all times, ideally in separate units. Upright freezers should be used rather than chest freezers
• Cover/wrap all foods adequately to prevent freezer burn
• Label all decanted/prepared foods with use by/best before dates and allergen information
• Maintain freezer units. Planned maintenance will be better than reactive maintenance
• Regularly check freezer seals for integrity and cleanliness
• Rotate stock every day, use FIFO system i.e. First in first out, checking use by dates frequently. Do not hold excessive stock levels as stock rotational procedures can be compromised
• Only use food grade containers/packaging materials
• Keep freezer cleaned and disinfected. Defrost regularly
• Do not overfill freezer, allow gaps between foods and do not let food touch the sides or the back of the freezer
• Do not allow hot foods to be cooled by using the freezer, allow hot foods to cool to room temperature before storing in freezer

Shelving/Racking

• Maintain shelving and racking and keep in good condition
• Aim to purchase good quality food grade stainless steel shelving and racking as this is easily cleaned and disinfected as well as being hardwearing, non-porous, non-flaking etc.

Covering food

• Foods should be covered to protect them at all times to prevent contamination from microbiological, allergenic, physical and chemical sources
• The covering of food with cloths/tea towels should be discouraged as fibres can carry contamination
• Foods, if wrapped, must be wrapped in food grade coverings where the food will not react with the covering. You must check manufacturer's instructions as some food coverings are not suitable to be used with certain foods e.g. Cling film with high oil / fat products or tin foil with highly acidic products e.g. Rhubarb, soft fruit
• Foods decanted into lidded containers, ensure they are food grade containers
• Food grade containers if not in use must be stored inverted to prevent contamination

Temperatures critical to food safety

The following temperatures and temperature ranges have major significance for food safety, ensure all staff have received training to understand their significance.

100°c - This is the boiling point of water, in most cases this is a high enough temperature to kill off bacteria, but it will not be enough to destroy spores of certain bacteria i.e. Bacillus spp. and clostridium spp. It may also not be a high enough temperature to destroy some toxins produced by certain bacteria. This temperature can also be used as a reference point when testing/calibrating a food probe.

82°c - This is the minimum temperature of rinse water in an industrial dishwasher, the rinse cycle should be at least 15 seconds to achieve a time and temperature combination that will achieve a 5-log reduction in micro-organisms. This is the temperature that food should be reheated to in Scotland, as per Scottish food hygiene laws which differ from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which require a minimum 75°c reheat temperature.

75°c - This is the minimum cooking and reheating temperature (except Scotland) that foods should be cooked to, they should achieve this temperature for at least 30 seconds. Good practice would be to achieve a higher temperature, recommended 78°c. The same result for the adequate destruction of bacteria can also be achieved by cooking at 70°c for 2 minutes or by cooking at 80°c for 6 seconds, you must ensure that the full time/temperature combination has been achieved. Readings should be taken at the densest or thickest part of the food.

63°c - This is the minimum legal temperature for the hot holding of food that has been cooked to above 75°c immediately before holding. Ideally food handlers should aim for a higher target temperature of around 66°c. Food that falls below this temperature must be used within 2 hours otherwise the food should be discarded.

5°c - 63°c (The Danger Zone) - Food temperature within this range offers bacteria an opportunity to grow quicker than if they had been held above 63°c or below 5°c. When food temperature enters this zone, it must be either used immediately or if not to be consumed immediately, it should be heated quickly to above 75°c or cooled down rapidly to at least room temperature before refrigeration below 5°c.

20°c - 50°c (Optimal Zone of Bacterial Growth) - When the majority of bacteria will grow (multiply) at their most rapid rate, typically multiplying every 10-20 minutes. Food must be heated as quickly as possible through this zone; likewise, cooling food should be cooled quickly through this zone to avoid problems. Slow cooling of food can encourage the germination of spores, once germinated the resulting vegetative bacteria can multiply rapidly within these mid-range temperatures, rapidly infecting the food and sometimes leading to further toxin production.

8°c - This is the maximum legal temperature for holding high risk foods, in a HACCP based FSMS this is known as the critical limit, if the fridge or the food rises above this temperature, then corrective actions should be taken to bring the situation back under control as quickly as possible.

1°c - 5°c - This is the good practice target temperature that we should run refrigerators at. Bacterial growth slows down significantly at these temperatures. This control measure keeps RTE and cooked foods relatively safe up to the use by date.

0°c - This is the temperature that water will start to freeze, most foods contain varying levels of water, therefore they will also freeze. Note: some pathogenic bacteria will continue to grow even at this temperature e.g. Listeria. Also, many spoilage organisms can also continue to grow at subzero temperatures (up to approximately -15°c). This temperature can also be used as a reference point when testing and calibrating a food probe.

-15°c - This is the maximum allowable temperature of a freezer or temperature of frozen foods before corrective actions are initiated. Freezers can warm up slightly if a door is left open for a couple of minutes e.g. Putting goods into storage after delivery. Freezers must not be allowed to drop below this temperature, as some spoilage bacteria can start to become active, also food can suffer freezer burn if products defrost slightly then refreeze.

-18°c - Frozen foods should be stored at this temperature or slightly colder. All bacteria will become static at -18°c and will not multiply. Cooked and prepared foods that have been frozen should not be stored any longer than one month. Note: spores formed in food from temperature abuse will not be affected by freezing.

Corrective actions

• Re-organise storage space or arrange extra/alternative storage space
• If food has been labelled incorrectly a responsible person should consider discarding the food
• Food that has just become cross contaminated by bacteria, can, immediately be cooked/reheated or if longer term, then discarded
• An allergen free meal, if contaminated must be discarded immediately
• Any food suspected of come into contact with pests or pest contamination must be labelled, quarantined and discarded. Keep a record of this
• Food handlers not following the safety points must be retrained and/or increase supervision if necessary

Record keeping

• Keep records of all contraventions of the above safety points and the corrective actions taken
• Retraining of staff must be recorded