Here are some things to keep in mind when you think about food storage in your store or restaurant.
If food is part of your business, you know that storage and safety go hand in hand, and that food safety is one of the most important parts of your daily routine. Not only does proper food storage keep your food fresher longer (and save you money), but it also keeps your customers from getting sick. Good food storage solutions can also help your employees be more effective and efficient in their work, so it’s a win-win-win. Here are some things to keep in mind when you think about food storage in your store or restaurant.
Remember FIFO
Probably the holy grail of food safety rules, FIFO stands for First In, First Out. Essentially this means that any new items that come in need to be stored behind the items you already have so that the older stuff is used first. This ensures a constant rotation of product and helps prevent food items from sitting too long and spoiling. Slanted wire racks are a good tool to achieve this, as are gravity flow racks.
Have a Place For Everything
“A place for everything, and everything in its place” is a good adage to remember when storing food for your restaurant. For instance, the place for meat should be under your other foods so that meat juices don’t accidentally drip on other food items. Proper labeling is also important for food safety so you can easily tell what the item is and how old it is.
Temperature and Humidity
Maintaining proper temperatures for foods is a no-brainer for most people – we know that some foods are shelf stable and some require refrigeration. But there is also the issue of moisture to consider. Food storerooms should be kept at 15% humidity or less to help prevent the growth of mold and bacteria. You should also try to store foods away from the walls of the refrigerator, since that is often where condensation happens, and you don’t want that condensation seeping into your food items or packaging.
Nothing On The Floor
There was a time when the floor could be used for food storage, especially for things that are still packaged, but that is no longer true. In 2009 the FDA passed a code that mandates that all food must be stored at least 6 inches above the floor. It doesn’t matter if the food is open or not, still in its packaging or not. It is a safety issue and this ruling prevents food from being accidentally contaminated by dirt, liquid, or moisture on the floor that could seep into the packaging.
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