Sanitation and Safety: Chapter 6 The Flow of Food: Purchasing and Receiving

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1 Sanitation and Safety: Chapter 6 The Flow of Food: Purchasing and Receiving Introduction To be sure food is safe, you must first control the quality and safety of food that comes in your back door. You can avoid many potential food safety hazards by making sure that products are properly received. Using approved suppliers and inspecting products when they are delivered are the first steps in the process. Choosing a Supplier A number of factors go into selecting the right suppliers. While the level of service needs to be considered, choosing a supplier who will deliver safe food is the ultimate goal. Quality Standards Make sure suppliers are getting their products from approved sources Make sure suppliers are reputable Inspect your supplier's warehouse from time to time Ask your suppliers to show you their most recent inspection reports Ask your suppliers if they have a HACCP plan in place Find out if your supplier's employees are trained in food safety Check the condition of the supplier's delivery trucks Check your supplier's shipments for consistent product quality and accuracy Request that your suppliers deliver product when your staff has time to properly receive them Receiving Considerations If you establish guidelines for receiving and inspecting products, you can reduce hazards before they enter your establishment. Here are some guidelines for receiving and inspection of deliveries: Schedule deliveries for a time when your staff has time to receive them correctly Make specific staff responsible for receiving and train them to your standards Plan ahead for shipments - make sure there is adequate storage space in coolers and dry storage Have available clean hand trucks, carts and containers as needed Visually inspect delivery trucks Check deliveries against order form for correct quantities and weights, compare shipment to invoice Check delivery for quality and compliance to purchasing specifications Spot check weights and temperatures of TCS foods Plan a back-up menu in case you have to return food items If possible, receive only one delivery at a time Inspect delivery immediately Correct mistakes immediately Put products away as quickly as possible, especially refrigerated items, to avoid time temperature abuse in the receiving area Keep the receiving area clean and well lighted to discourage pests Communicate any delivery errors or rejections with staff and management

2 Rejecting Shipments Remember that you have the right to refuse any delivery that does not meet your standards. To reject a shipment or product: Set the rejected product aside Tell the delivery driver exactly what is wrong with the rejected item Get a signed adjustment or credit slip from the driver Log the incident on the invoice or receiving document You may occasionally be able to recondition and use items that would have been rejected. For example, a shipment of cans that is covered with dust can be cleaned and sanitized, then used, but cans that are damaged, with the damage being the cause of contamination cannot. Key Drop Deliveries Some food service operations receive food after hours when they are closed. The supplier is given a key to the establishment in order to deliver the product. Products are placed in coolers, freezers and dry storage areas. The delivery must be inspected once you arrive at the operation and must meet the following conditions: It is from an approved supplier It was placed in the correct storage location to maintain the required temperature and was protected from contamination It has not been contaminated It is honestly presented Key drop deliveries have a number of drawbacks. Checking the Temperature of Deliveries Check the temperature of meat, poultry and fish by inserting the thermometer into the thickest part of the product Check the temperature of ROP, MAP, vacuum-packaged or sous vide food by inserting the thermometer stem or probe between two packages Check the temperature of liquids or other packaged food by opening the package and inserting the thermometer stem into the food until the sensing area is immersed Check the temperature of bulk liquids by folding the bag or pouch around the thermometer Check the temperature of live, molluscan shellfish by inserting the stem into the middle of the carton or the case, between the shellfish, for an ambient reading When receiving eggs, check the ambient temperature of the delivery truck Always be sure to use a clean, sanitized thermometer each time you check a temperature Receiving and Inspecting Food Food and non-food items must be correctly packaged upon receipt. Items must be in their original, undamaged lean packaging and must have the manufacturer's label. Food and non-food items should be rejected in the event of the following problems with the packaging: Holes, tears or punctures in their packaging Cans that have bulging or swollen ends, rust, dents or damaged labeling Bloated or leaking ROP Broken cartons or opened seals Dirty or discolored packaging Packages that appear to have been tampered with Leaks dampness or water stains

3 Ice crystals or frozen liquids on the package Signs of pests or pest damage Missing use-by or expiration dates Items that are past their use-by or expiration dates Food Quality Overview Poor food quality can be a sign that food has been time temperature abused and may be unsafe. Work with your suppliers to establish standards of safety for the food items you receive. Certain foods should always be rejected: Food that is moldy or has an abnormal color Moist food that should be dry, i.e. salami Food with an abnormal or unpleasant odor Specific Criteria for Receiving and Inspecting Food Every food product delivered to your establishment should be carefully inspected for damage, poor quality or potential contamination. Here are some guidelines: Seafood Fish and shellfish are very sensitive to rough treatment and time temperature abuse. Both fresh and frozen seafood deteriorates very quickly if improperly handled. Time temperature abuse can result in the rapid growth of microorganisms, which can lead to foodborne illness. Fish Fresh fish should be delivered in self-draining crushed or flaked ice, and should be received at a temperature of 41oF or lower Clear, bright, full eyes Firm flesh Pleasant, mild scent of ocean or seaweed Bright red and moist gills Bright skin Avoid the following: Cloudy, red-rimmed, sunken eyes Soft skin or flesh that leaves an imprint when touched Strong fishy or ammonia smell Dull, gray, brown or black gills Dull, dry skin Tumors, abscesses or cysts on the skin Frozen fish should always be received frozen. If there is any indication it has been allowed to thaw, it should be rejected. Fish that will be served raw or partially cooked should be frozen by the processor, as follows, prior to shipment to kill any parasite that may be present (sushi grade): -4oF or lower for seven days in a storage freezer -31oF or lower for fifteen hours in a blast freezer Records showing that the fish was frozen correctly must be provided to food service operators. The only exceptions are shellfish and certain species of Tuna not susceptible to parasites.

4 Shellfish Shellfish include molluscan bivalves such as clams, oysters and mussels. They can be shipped live, frozen in the shell or shucked. Shellfish must only be bought from suppliers listed in the National Shellfish Sanitation Program Guide for the Control of Molluscan Shellfish, or from suppliers included in the interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List. Shucked shellfish must be packed in nonreturnable containers clearly labeled with name, address and certification number of the packer. Packages containing less than one half gallon must have a sell by date. Packages containing more than one half gallon should list the date the shellfish was shucked. Live molluscan shellfish must be received on ice or at an ambient temperature of 45oF or lower with an internal temperature of no more than 50oF, while shucked product must be received at an internal temperature of 45oF or lower. They both must be cooled to 41oF within four hours. The FDA requires that live molluscan shellfish carry shellstock identification tags. Operators must write the date of delivery on the tags. The tag should remain attached to the container the shellfish are in until the container is empty. Operators must keep the tags for 90 days after the last shellfish has been used. Shells of clams, mussels and oysters will be closed if alive. Partly open shells may mean they are dead. Tap on any partially opened shells; if they close, they are still alive. If the shells do not close or are badly cracked or broken, they should be discarded. Crustacea Crustacea include crab, shrimp and lobster. Fresh lobsters or crabs in good condition are easy to tell from those that have been poorly handled. A fresh lobster or crab will meet the following criteria: Show signs of movement Have a hard and heavy shell Curl its tail when turned on its back Never accept whole, unprocessed crustacea that are dead. Those showing weak signs of life should be cooked right away. Processed crustacea should be received at an internal temp of 41oF or lower. Fresh Meat and Poultry Fresh meat and poultry should be delivered at 41oF or lower. When it arrives, inspect it closely, checking temperature, color, odor, texture and packaging. Meat and poultry must be purchased from plants inspected by the USDA or the state department of agriculture. Stamps will not appear on every cut of meat, but one should be present on every inspected carcass and on the packaging. Meat and poultry inspection is mandatory. The USDA inspection stamp means that both the product and processing plant have met certain criteria. It does not mean that the product is free of microorganisms. Operators are still responsible for properly handling and preparing this food to be sure it is safe for consumers to eat. Meat Beef should be bright, cherry red, aged beef will be darker o Vacuum-packed refrigerated beef will have a purplish color while packaged Lamb is light red when fresh and properly exposed to air Fresh pork is light pink in color with firm, white fat portions Flesh should be firm Mild, pleasant odor Packaging should be clean and intact

5 Reject: Beef that is brown or green Lamb that is brown, or with a whitish surface covering the lean meat Pork with excessively dark color or soft, rancid fat Any meat that is slimy, sticky or dry Meat with a sour odor Broken cartons, dirty wrappers, torn packaging or broken seals Poultry Fresh poultry should be shipped in self-draining, crushed ice and at a temperature of 41oF or lower. Look for the following: No discoloration Firm flesh that springs back when touched Mild odor Surrounded by crushed, self draining ice Poultry should be rejected if the following conditions are present Purple or green discoloration around the neck Dark (brown or black) wing tips (red tips are acceptable) Stickiness around joints or under wings Abnormal, unpleasant odor Eggs Purchase fresh eggs from approved, government inspected suppliers. The USDA inspection stamp on cartons indicates that federal regulations are enforced to maintain quality and reduce contamination. As with meat and poultry, grading is voluntary and is provided by the USDA. Choose suppliers who can deliver eggs within a few days of the packing date. Eggs must be delivered in refrigerated trucks. When eggs arrive, the truck's air temperature must be 45oF or lower, and the eggs must be stored immediately in refrigeration units that will hold them at an ambient temperature of 45oF or lower. Eggs freeze at 41oF. Shells should be clean, dry and free of cracks. Fresh eggs should have little odor. Liquid, frozen and dehydrated eggs must be pasteurized as required by law, and bear the USDA inspection mark. Dairy Products Purchase only pasteurized dairy products. Unpasteurized milk and other dairy products are potential sources of pathogens. All milk and milk products should be labeled "Grade A". This means that they meet standards for quality and sanitary processing methods. Milk with a grade of "B" does not meet sanitation standards for drinking, and is sometimes referred to as manufacturing grade. It may only be used to manufacture cheese, butter and non-fat dry milk. More than 90% of milk produced in the US is grade A and therefore makes up most milk used in manufacturing.

6 Fresh milk has a sweetish taste. Any milk that tastes or smells sour, bitter or moldy should be rejected. Milk can be received at a temperature of 45oF or lower, but must be cooled to 41oF within four hours. Milk has a sell-by date stamped on the container, not to be confused with a use-by date. Butter should have a sweet flavor, uniform color and firm texture. In the US, all cheeses must meet certain standards of identity. In order for the product to be labeled "Cheddar" or "Mozzarella", the government specifies ingredients that must be used, maximum moisture content, minimum fat content and general characteristics. When cheese is delivered, check to make sure it has the typical flavor, texture and color. If the cheese has a rind, it should be clean and unbroken. Cheese should have no sign of unnatural mold or odor. Fresh Fruits and Produce Fresh fruits and vegetables have different temperature requirements for transportation and storage, so they may be held at different temperatures. Whole fresh produce is subject to cold damage at lower temperatures. No specific temperature is mandated by regulation for the transport and storage of fresh produce, with few exceptions. Cut melons, a TCS food, must be held at 41oF or lower. Fresh cut produce is best held at 33oF to 41oF to maintain quality. Cut, bagged lettuce may be received with an air temperature of 45oF or lower. Fresh fruits and vegetables are perishable and should be put into storage quickly. Wash produce just before preparing and serving it. All fruits and vegetables should be handled with care. Check products being delivered for signs of mishandling and insect infestation, including eggs and egg cases. Use smell and taste to determine product quality. Refrigerated and Frozen Processed Foods More and more establishments are using prepared foods that are either refrigerated or frozen. This includes processed meats, individually quick frozen (IQF) poultry and frozen or refrigerated entrees. Processed food can save time and money, but only if it is treated with the same care given to other food products. While these food products are usually fully cooked or ready-to-eat, they still require careful handling. Dry and Canned Products Dry and canned products seem to pose little threat to customers. Most have a fairly long shelf life and are usually used long before they have a chance to spoil. However, canned products provide a favorable environment for the microorganism that causes botulism. Canned food must be checked carefully. Look for the following: Swollen ends Leaks or flawed seals Rust Dents Must be labeled Dry food can be contaminated by a variety of sources that can cause foodborne illness. Dry foods must be kept dry. Reject shipments if they are damp or show signs of prior wetness. Dry food often attracts pests. Carefully check packages for holes, tears or punctures.