Guidelines for receiving food

How to assess food quality

Appearance: Reject food that is moldy or has an abnormal color. Texture: Reject meat, fish, or poultry if It is slimy, sticky, or dry It has soft flesh that leaves an imprint when touched Odor: Reject food with an abnormal or unpleasant odor.

Recieving food guidelines

Have food delivered when staff can inspect it? Make specific staff responsible for receiving. Train them to follow food safety procedures. Allow them to accept, reject, and sign for deliveries. Provide staff with tools. Plan ahead for shipments. Inspect deliveries immediately.

What to do with recall

Identify the recalled food items. Remove the item from inventory. Store the item separately. Label the item to prevent it from being placed back in inventory. Inform staff not to use the product. Refer to the vendor's notification or recall notice for what to do with the item.

How to check the temperature of ROP food

Insert the thermometer stem or probe between two packages. As an alternative, fold packaging around the thermometer stem or probe.

How to check the temperature of meat, poultry, and fish

Insert the thermometer stem or probe into the thickest part of the food (usually the center).

What is in the process of inspection

Inspect the delivery truck. Inspect the food items. Count quantities and spot-check weights. Check for damage, repackaging, and mishandling. Take sample temperatures of all TCS food. Inspect and store each delivery before accepting another one.

How to check the temperature of other packaged food

Open the package and insert the thermometer stem or probe into the food.

Temperature for Hot TCS food

Receive at 135˚F (57˚C) or higher.

Temperature criteria for cold TCS food

Receive at 41˚F (5˚C) or lower, unless otherwise specified.

Temperature criteria for shucked shellfish

Receive at 45˚F (7˚C) or lower. Cool the shellfish to 41˚F (5˚F) or lower in four hours.

Temperature criteria for milk

Receive at 45˚F (7˚C) or lower. Cool the milk to 41˚F (5˚C) or lower in four hours.

Temperature criteria for eggs

Receive at an air temperature of 45˚F (7˚C) or lower.

Temperature criteria for live shellfish (oysters, mussels, clams, and scallops

Receive at an air temperature of 45˚F (7˚C) and an internal temperature no greater than 50˚F (10˚C). Once received, the shellfish must be cooled to 41˚F (5˚C) or lower in four hours.

Temperature criteria for frozen food

Reject frozen food if there is evidence of thawing and refreezing. Fluids or water stains in case bottoms or on packaging Ice crystals or frozen liquids on the food or packaging

What to do with rejection items

Separate rejected items from accepted items. Tell the delivery person what is wrong with the item. Get a signed adjustment or credit slip before giving the rejected item to the delivery person. Log the incident on the invoice or receiving document.

Required documents

Shellfish must be received with shellstock identification tags. Tags indicate when and where the shellfish were harvested. Store shellfish in their original container. Do NOT remove the shellstock tag until the last shellfish is used. Write the date the last shellfish was used on the shellstock tag. Keep the shellstock tag on file for 90 days after the last shellfish was used.

What is key drop delivery?

Supplier is given after-hour access to the operation to make deliveries. Staff must inspect the deliveries upon arrival at the operation. Deliveries must meet the following criteria. From an approved source Placed in the correct storage location to maintain the required temperature Protected from contamination in storage NOT contaminated Presented honestly

Items to reject

Tears, holes, or punctures in packaging Cans—Severe dents in the seam or body, missing labels, swollen or bulging ends, holes, leaks, rust ROP food—Bloating or leaking Broken cartons or seals