Basic guidelines for food storage

Food Preservation Storage

Lesson 16: Storage of foods

Basic guidelines for food storage

  1. Storage area should be cleaned and disinfected on regular basis.
  2. Foods to be stored should be inspected for signs of damage, spoilage or infestation before storage.
  3. Wash items that need washing before storage. Cans need to be wiped prior to use.
  4. Frozen items should be solidly frozen before storage.
  5. Rotation of stock should be done to ensure that older materials are used up before fresh ones and finished products do not remain in storage beyond their stated shelf life. For this one can apply, any one of following rules for use.
    1. FIFO (First In First Out)
    2. FMFU (First Manufactured First Used)
    3. LILO (Last In Last Out)
  6. Each type of storage area should be separated from each other to avoid cross contamination.
  7. Appropriate temperatures should be maintained depending on the type of food being stored.
  8. Access to storage area should be restricted to prevent pilferage.
  9. Over crowding & over stocking of storage area should not be done as it blocks air circulation making the food to spoil fast.
  10. Raw materials should be properly stored before use in preservation. Ripe fruits and vegetables should be kept in clean plastic crates in a cool area, when they are being held for preservation. Dry ingredients such as spices should be stored in dry well ventilated areas.
  11. Packaged products should be placed in cartons and packed on pallets, (never directly on the floor), away from walls, to ensure effective placing of pest control baits in warehouses or holding areas.
  12. Packages in storage should be checked periodically to ensure that they are still intact and any spillage detected should be removed immediately and the area should be subsequently sanitized.
  13. Packaging material such as cans, jars, lids, cartons, should also be kept in clean dry areas as free as possible from dust. The outer wrapping of these should not be removed until packaging material is ready for use in processing area.
  14. All stored material should be labelled and dated and raw materials/ product slated for reworking or dumping, and finished products awaiting shipment should all be segregated in designated areas.
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Last modified: Thursday, 15 March 2012, 11:00 AM