How to Record a Food Storage Video for Your Food Safety Management System

Step 1: Set the scene and context

Safe food storage is fundamental to your entire food safety system. Every type of food requires specific storage conditions to maintain both safety and quality—get it wrong, and bacteria multiply, cross-contamination occurs, and food that should be safe becomes dangerous. Your team needs to understand that storage isn't just about putting food away tidily—it's about controlling bacterial growth, preventing contamination, and maintaining the cold chain that keeps food safe.

The principles are simple but critical: different foods require different conditions, raw must be separated from ready-to-eat, temperatures must be maintained within safe limits, and everything must be labelled and dated. A single mistake—storing raw chicken above cooked food, leaving food uncovered, or allowing temperatures to drift—can make customers seriously ill.

Where to film this video:

Film inside your storage areas—your walk-in fridge, reach-in fridges, freezers, and dry store. Show the actual organisation of your storage, the positioning of different food types, and where temperature monitoring happens. This is a practical video that benefits from showing real examples in your actual working environment.

What to have ready:

• Access to all your storage areas (fridges, freezers, dry store)
• Examples of correctly labelled food containers
• Food-grade containers with lids
• Cling film, foil, and other covering materials
• Your temperature monitoring records
• A probe thermometer for demonstration
• Examples of products at different stages (raw, cooked, decanted, opened)

Start your video by explaining:

"This video covers safe food storage—one of the most important controls in our food safety system. Correct storage prevents bacterial growth and cross-contamination. I'm going to show you exactly how we organise our fridges and freezers, why raw and ready-to-eat foods must be separated, what temperatures we need to maintain, how to label and date foods correctly, and the critical temperature limits that must never be exceeded. Every time you put food into storage, you're making food safety decisions—this video will ensure you make the right ones."

Step 2: Plan what to record versus what to write down

Food storage training combines physical demonstration of your storage areas with technical knowledge about temperatures and bacterial growth. Split your content strategically.

Best for video (on camera):

• Walking through your fridges showing correct positioning (raw below, RTE above)
• Demonstrating how to cover and contain foods correctly
• Showing where temperature monitoring happens and how to check
• Demonstrating correct labelling of decanted and batch-cooked foods
• Explaining the danger zone and why it matters
• Showing what happens when food is stored incorrectly

Best for supporting written text:

• Complete temperature chart with targets and critical limits
• The danger zone explained with bacterial growth rates
• Date labelling rules for different food types
• Storage position requirements
• Foods that must be refrigerated
• Corrective actions for temperature breaches

Example written reference to include:

Temperature Critical Limits:

REFRIGERATED STORAGE:
→ Target: 1°C to 5°C
→ Critical limit: 8°C maximum
→ Above 8°C = corrective action required

FROZEN STORAGE:
→ Target: -18°C or colder
→ Critical limit: -15°C maximum
→ Above -15°C = corrective action required

THE DANGER ZONE (5°C to 63°C):
→ Bacteria multiply rapidly in this range
→ Optimal growth: 20°C to 50°C (doubling every 10-20 minutes)
→ Food must pass through quickly when heating or cooling

Storage Position (in single fridge):
TOP → Ready-to-eat foods, cooked foods
MIDDLE → Dairy, eggs, prepared items
BOTTOM → Raw meat, raw poultry, raw fish

Date Labelling Rules:
→ Batch cooked (refrigerated): Use within 3 days including production day
→ Batch cooked (frozen): Use within 1 month
→ Decanted products: Use original use by date
→ Opened products: Follow manufacturer's instructions

Step 3: Core rules and requirements

Cover the essential knowledge your team needs about safe storage conditions, temperatures, and organisation.

Why temperature control matters:

Begin with the science: "Chilled storage slows down the rate of bacterial multiplication. Even cooked food still contains tiny amounts of bacteria—we can't eliminate them entirely, but we can stop them multiplying to dangerous levels by keeping food cold. At refrigerated temperatures between 1°C and 5°C, bacterial growth slows dramatically. Once food enters the danger zone—between 5°C and 63°C—bacteria can multiply rapidly, potentially doubling every 10 to 20 minutes in optimal conditions between 20°C and 50°C."

Refrigerated storage requirements:

Explain the critical controls: "Our target temperature for refrigerated storage is between 1°C and 5°C. The critical limit—the point at which corrective action is required—is 8°C. If the fridge or the food rises above 8°C, you must take immediate action to bring it back under control.

Check fridge temperatures frequently and record them. Maintain the units through planned maintenance—checking seals for integrity and cleanliness, ensuring the unit is functioning correctly. Don't overfill the fridge—allow gaps between foods and don't let food touch the sides or back of the unit, as this restricts airflow and affects temperature distribution."

Freezer storage requirements:

Explain the frozen standards: "Frozen foods should be stored at -18°C or slightly colder. At this temperature, all bacteria become static and won't multiply. The critical limit for freezers is -15°C—above this, some spoilage organisms can start becoming active, and food can suffer freezer burn if products partially defrost and refreeze.

The same principles apply: check temperatures frequently, record them, maintain the units, check seals, don't overfill. Use upright freezers rather than chest freezers where possible—they're easier to organise and rotate stock."

The danger zone:

This concept is critical for your team: "The temperature range between 5°C and 63°C is known as the danger zone. Within this range, bacteria have the opportunity to grow much faster than if food is held above 63°C or below 5°C.

The optimal zone for bacterial growth is between 20°C and 50°C—this is where most bacteria multiply at their most rapid rate, typically doubling every 10 to 20 minutes. Food must be heated as quickly as possible through this zone when cooking, and cooled quickly through this zone when storing.

Slow cooling is particularly dangerous. It can encourage the germination of bacterial spores. Once germinated, the resulting bacteria can multiply rapidly in mid-range temperatures, rapidly infecting the food and sometimes producing toxins."

Foods that must be refrigerated:

List the requirements: "The following must always be stored in a refrigerator:

• All foods with a use by date or that are highly perishable
• Prepared foods that won't be served immediately
• Cooked food cooled down for future service or reheating
• Ready-to-eat foods
• Raw foods intended for consumption without cooking (sashimi, tartare)
• Pre-washed salad
• Foods with best before dates after opening, following manufacturer's instructions
• Pasteurised products such as milk and orange juice
• Food that is being defrosted—with extra care for raw products"

Raw and ready-to-eat separation:

Explain this critical control: "Ready-to-eat or cooked foods must be kept separated from raw products—including raw eggs and vegetables—at all times. This is non-negotiable.

Ready-to-eat and cooked foods must always have adequate coverings—containers with lids, cling film, foil. These foods won't undergo any further processes that would make them safe, so they're extremely vulnerable to contamination.

Raw foods must also be contained to prevent direct, indirect, and drip contamination of ready-to-eat foods. Ideally, raw foods should be stored in separate fridges. If this isn't possible, raw foods must be stored at the bottom of the fridge and cooked or ready-to-eat foods stored near the top. Never store raw meat above ready-to-eat food—if it drips, it contaminates everything below."

Use by date management:

Explain the legal requirement: "Use by dates must be checked daily. Chefs should manage stock levels and rotate stock efficiently to avoid waste. Any food that has exceeded its use by date must be removed from storage immediately, labelled clearly as 'not for consumption,' and discarded or returned to the supplier.

This is critical: if an EHO finds food that has exceeded its use by date in your fridge during an inspection, they will assume that food was being used. An emergency hygiene prohibition notice may be issued, which can lead to closure of the business. Out-of-date food is a serious compliance failure."

Best before dates:

Explain the difference: "Best before dates on low-risk and ambient foods refer to quality rather than safety. If these foods have been stored correctly, the date gives an approximate guarantee of quality up to that point—quality may decline after that date, but the food may still be safe to eat.

Best before dates should be checked regularly and stock rotated to minimise waste. Food past its best before date can still be sold as long as the customer is made aware that quality may be compromised.

Note: some high-risk products that have been canned, sterilised, or ultra-heat treated may be stored at ambient temperature with a best before date. However, once opened, they must be treated as high-risk products and either used immediately or refrigerated."

Batch-cooked and prepared foods:

Explain the labelling rules: "Batch-cooked and prepared foods must be appropriately date-marked. For refrigerated storage, use a maximum of 3 days including the day of production—cooked Monday, use by Wednesday. For frozen cooked products, use a maximum of one month from the date of freezing.

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

Opened and decanted foods:

Explain the transfer rules: "Once a hermetically sealed packet, jar, pouch, or tin has been opened, allowing oxygen in, and the contents have been decanted into another container, it must be immediately labelled, refrigerated, and used by the date marked on the original packaging.

The original contents must be indicated on the new label for allergen management purposes—anyone using that product needs to know what allergens it contains.

Critical point: canned food, once opened, must not be stored in the original can. It must be decanted into a food-safe plastic lidded container. Metal can react with food, particularly acidic foods, and trace metal contamination can occur. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for storage after opening."

Covering food correctly:

Explain the contamination prevention: "Foods must be covered to protect them at all times—from microbiological, allergenic, physical, and chemical contamination.

Don't use cloths or tea towels to cover food—fibres can carry contamination. Use food-grade coverings: cling film, foil, or lidded containers. But check manufacturer's instructions—some coverings aren't suitable for certain foods. Cling film shouldn't be used with high-oil or high-fat products. Tin foil shouldn't be used with highly acidic products like rhubarb or soft fruits.

Food-grade containers not in use must be stored inverted to prevent contamination settling inside."

Dry and ambient storage:

Explain the requirements: "Food must not be stored directly on floors or touching walls in a dry store—it can pick up moisture which compromises safety and quality. Use racking to enable sufficient airflow around products.

Dry stores should be checked regularly for pest activity and ingress. Maintain cool, dry environmental conditions. Stock rotation applies here too—first in, first out."

Step 4: Demonstrate or walk through

Walk your team through your storage areas, showing correct organisation and practices.

Walking through refrigerated storage:

Show the organisation: "Let me show you how our fridge is organised. At the top, we have ready-to-eat foods and cooked items—these are the most vulnerable because they won't be cooked again before serving. Notice everything is covered with lids or cling film.

In the middle, we have dairy products, eggs, and prepared items that will undergo further cooking.

At the bottom, we have raw meat, raw poultry, and raw fish. This is critical—raw products must always be stored at the bottom. If anything drips, it drips downward onto the floor of the fridge, not onto ready-to-eat food. Never place raw meat above cooked food.

See how nothing is touching the sides or back of the fridge? This allows airflow to maintain consistent temperature throughout. And notice the gaps between items—don't pack food so tightly that air can't circulate."

Demonstrating temperature monitoring:

Show the checking process: "Here's our temperature display for this fridge. I check this frequently throughout the day and record it. The target is between 1°C and 5°C—right now it's showing [X]°C, which is within range.

If this ever shows above 8°C, that's a critical limit breach and I need to take immediate corrective action—check the seal, check if the door's been left open, check if the unit is malfunctioning. The temperature must be brought back under control as quickly as possible, and I need to assess whether the food inside is still safe."

Demonstrating correct labelling:

Show the labelling process: "Let me show you correct labelling for a batch-cooked item. I've made this sauce today, Monday. The use by date is Wednesday—that's 3 days including the day of production. On my label, I write: what it is, today's date as the production date, the use by date of Wednesday, and the allergens it contains—in this case, celery.

Now for a decanted product—I'm transferring this [ingredient] from its original packaging into a prep container. I check the original use by date on the packaging—it says [date]. That date transfers to my new label, along with what the product is and the allergen information from the original packaging."

Demonstrating freezer organisation:

Show the frozen storage: "Our freezer follows the same principles—raw separated from ready-to-eat, everything wrapped properly to prevent freezer burn, everything labelled with the date of freezing and a use by date no more than one month away.

See how everything is wrapped completely? Partially exposed food will get freezer burn, which affects quality and can compromise safety. Check seals on bags, make sure containers have tight-fitting lids.

The temperature here should be -18°C or colder. If it rises above -15°C, that's a corrective action situation—some spoilage organisms can become active above that temperature."

Demonstrating decanting from cans:

Show the correct process: "Here's an opened can that needs storing. I'm not going to put this can in the fridge—metal cans can react with food once opened, particularly acidic foods, and can cause metal contamination. Instead, I'm decanting the contents into this food-safe plastic container with a lid.

I label it with what it is, and I check the original can for the manufacturer's instructions on storage after opening—this tells me how long I can keep it refrigerated. The allergen information from the can transfers to my label."

Demonstrating the dry store:

Show the ambient storage: "Our dry store uses racking to keep everything off the floor and away from walls. This allows airflow and prevents moisture pickup.

Notice how stock is organised with oldest at the front—first in, first out. When new deliveries arrive, they go at the back so we use older stock first. I check dates regularly and rotate as needed.

I also check this area for any signs of pest activity—droppings, gnaw marks, damaged packaging. Dry stores can attract pests, so regular inspection is part of storage management."

Demonstrating cooling for storage:

Show the correct process: "When hot food needs to be stored, I don't put it straight into the fridge. Putting hot food directly into refrigeration raises the temperature inside the fridge, potentially pushing other foods into the danger zone. It also creates condensation.

I allow hot food to cool to room temperature first—but this must happen quickly. The food needs to pass through the danger zone as fast as possible. Once it's at room temperature, it goes straight into refrigerated storage. For large batches, I might portion into smaller containers to speed up cooling."

Step 5: Common mistakes to avoid

Cover the storage errors that create food safety risks.

Mistake 1: Storing raw above ready-to-eat

"This is the most dangerous storage mistake. If raw chicken is stored above a ready-to-eat salad and drips onto it, that salad is now contaminated with raw meat bacteria. Raw products must always be at the bottom of the fridge. If you find raw food stored above cooked food, move it immediately and assess whether the food below has been contaminated."

Mistake 2: Putting hot food in the fridge

"Hot food going into the fridge raises the internal temperature, potentially pushing all the other food in there into the danger zone. It also creates condensation which can drip onto other foods. Cool hot food to room temperature first—quickly—then refrigerate. Never use the fridge as a cooling method."

Mistake 3: Leaving food uncovered

"Uncovered food is exposed to contamination from airborne bacteria, allergens, drips from other foods, and physical debris. Everything in storage must be covered with appropriate food-grade materials. If you find uncovered food, cover it immediately—but consider whether it's been contaminated and needs to be discarded."

Mistake 4: Not checking dates daily

"Use by dates must be checked daily. Finding out-of-date food during service—or worse, during an EHO inspection—is a serious failure. Build date checking into your daily routine. If something is approaching its date, prioritise using it or move it to a 'use first' area."

Mistake 5: Ignoring temperature breaches

"If a fridge shows above 8°C or a freezer shows above -15°C, that's not something to ignore and hope it fixes itself. Temperature breaches require immediate corrective action—identify the cause, fix the problem, assess the food inside. Ignoring a breach means serving potentially unsafe food."

Mistake 6: Overfilling storage units

"Packing fridges and freezers too full restricts airflow and creates uneven temperatures. Food at the back might be at the correct temperature while food at the front is too warm. Leave gaps between items, don't let food touch the sides or back, and manage stock levels to avoid overfilling."

Mistake 7: Storing opened cans in the fridge

"Once a can is opened, the contents must be transferred to a food-safe container. Leaving food in an open can allows metal to react with the food, particularly if it's acidic. This causes chemical contamination and can create poisonous compounds. Decant into plastic, label it, refrigerate it."

Mistake 8: Poor stock rotation

"New deliveries going to the front while old stock sits at the back means older food gets forgotten until it's past its date. First in, first out—always. When new stock arrives, it goes behind existing stock. Check dates when rotating to catch anything approaching its limit."

Mistake 9: Using wrong coverings for food

"Not all food coverings are suitable for all foods. Cling film in contact with high-fat foods can transfer chemicals. Foil in contact with acidic foods can cause metal to leach into the food. Check manufacturer's guidance and use appropriate coverings for each food type."

Step 6: Key takeaways

Finish your video by reinforcing the critical storage rules.

"Let me recap the food storage rules you need to remember:

Temperature targets and limits: Fridges should run at 1°C to 5°C, with a critical limit of 8°C. Freezers should run at -18°C or colder, with a critical limit of -15°C. Above these critical limits, you must take immediate corrective action.

The danger zone: Between 5°C and 63°C, bacteria multiply rapidly. Food must pass through this zone quickly when heating or cooling. The optimal growth range is 20°C to 50°C—bacteria can double every 10 to 20 minutes in this range.

Raw below ready-to-eat: This is absolute. Raw meat, poultry, and fish must always be stored at the bottom of the fridge. If raw food drips, it drips down, not onto ready-to-eat food. Ideally, use separate fridges.

Cover everything: All stored food must be covered with appropriate food-grade materials to prevent contamination. Don't use cloths or tea towels. Check that coverings are suitable for the specific food type.

Label everything: Batch-cooked food gets a 3-day maximum (including production day) if refrigerated, or 1 month if frozen. Decanted products keep their original use by date. Always include allergen information.

Check dates daily: Use by dates are a legal requirement. Finding out-of-date food is a serious failure. Build date checking into your routine and maintain good stock rotation.

Don't put hot food in the fridge: Cool to room temperature first, quickly, then refrigerate. Hot food raises fridge temperature and creates condensation.

Decant opened cans: Never store food in open cans. Transfer to food-safe containers with lids.

Don't overfill: Leave gaps for airflow. Don't let food touch the sides or back of the unit.

Dry store discipline: Off the floor, away from walls, on racking with good airflow. First in, first out. Check for pest activity.

Act on temperature breaches: If critical limits are exceeded, take immediate corrective action. Identify the cause, fix the problem, assess the food.

Every time you put food into storage, you're making a food safety decision. Follow these rules consistently, every time, and you'll maintain the conditions that keep food safe from delivery through to service."