Best Practices for Food Storage
This month we are discussing best practices for storing food to ensure quality and safety. Proper food storage can reduce food waste, therefore improving food cost. Earlier this month we covered points to include in communication with vendors such as unit size and package materials. In this blog, we will focus on food storage in the operation. Depending on the scope of your foodservice operation, you might have a variety of storage materials and containers in stock. Key considerations in maintaining quality and safety of food in storage is to protect from deterioration due to exposure from air, moisture, and light, and to protect from contamination. So having the right-size storage container will minimize excess air, which can hasten deterioration.
Clear, plastic containers provide visibility that can assist when taking inventory. Labeling food storage containers with contents and either date packed or use-by date is also important. There are many types of labels available in the market place that show how far the industry has come from the days of masking tape!
When storing food, be sure it does not have contact with non-food safe materials. As we mentioned in the first blog of the month, some package containers used by manufacturers seem like they are recyclable. However, because the chemicals in the plastic will break down during cleaning and sanitizing, there should not be direct contact with food. Strong recycled plastic containers can hold bagged foods, like rice or confections, and provide protection from pest infiltration or damage. Foodservices should invest in food-grade storage products that can be cleaned and sanitized safely, such as those made from food-safe glass or plastics.
Another storage option is disposable bags. Disposable bags are used in foodservices for general utility and storage, freezing, or as part of food preparation. Bags made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) are flexible and available for purchase in a variety of thicknesses, depending on strength needed. Bags made of this material work well for bakery items, produce, and other foods kept in dry or refrigerated storage. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) material is less transparent than LDPE but stronger. Bags of this material provide better temperature tolerance and are moisture/vapor proof, so work well for freezing food. Bags also fit to the form of the food item, therefore excess air is removed from the package. Remember, the quality of a product is affected by the amount of air, exposure to moisture, and time to reach a frozen state. Smaller units of food items, packed tightly using a moisture/vapor-proof material, will freeze more quickly with fewer ice crystals forming. Excess number and size of ice crystals can damage the food texture. Think about peaches that are firm when fresh, but mushy after being frozen. That results from ice crystals damaging the cells of the peach. Foodservices might consider purchasing multiple sizes of plastic bags. The market also offers various types of closures, i.e. zip-lock or twist tie, and dispensing options, such as saddle packs or roll packs.
The considerations of avoiding excess air and light apply to food preservation as well. More and more foodservices are using in house processing techniques, such as sous vide. If your foodservice engages in in-house processing, discuss with your local health authority the methods and packaging materials, as there are specific Food Code requirements, such as use of impermeable bags. The foodservice might consider investment in blast chillers or blast freezers to chill food quickly to maximize quality. In addition, a variance from the local health regulatory agency may also be required.
Protecting your investment in means keeping the food safe and of high quality to avoid waste, and subsequently, unnecessary cost.
Risk Nothing!
Developing Good Food Safety Habits
Good habits and habit development are something that has fascinated me for several years. If you’ve attended any the training programs or presentations that my colleagues and I have conducted through our Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition Programs, you’ve likely heard me opine about the importance of habits and how habits are created. Many times, in foodservice operations we wonder why our staff don’t follow the food safety practices we have established in our operation. Perhaps they don’t wash their hands when they are required, perhaps they just don’t use the proper method of handwashing, or perhaps we find that they don’t complete our HACCP logs as often as our program dictates should occur. And while we can stomp our feet and say “it is their job, they should just do it”, it really isn’t that simple. We can’t order people to change, although if we could, business and human resources would be so much simpler.
Getting Your Playbook for Food Safety Organized
As anyone who has ever worked in a foodservice operation knows, from the time food is received in your establishment to the time it is served to your customers, following proper food safety practices is crucial. What many don’t often think about is this time really should extend from the time the manager places their orders with their suppliers (including which purveyors you utilize), through the time the food is consumed – even if that consumption occurs off your premises and days after the original order was picked up by the guest. This is something that has certainly been highlighted by the pandemic as customers across the nation are utilizing take-out, curbside to go, and third-party delivery options more so now than ever before.
Getting Started with Building the Infrastructure
Hopefully in our first January blog, we convinced you of the importance of establishing an infrastructure within your operation to support a safe food culture. So, how does one go about doing this? Well, like any major project, break it into small bites. In our opinion, having a written guide for employees that documents expectations related to food safety basics of employee health and hygiene, temperature controls, and cleaning and sanitizing is the first step. Having this documentation serves as a reference for training and helps fulfill the mission of most foodservice operators which is to serve safe, quality food.
Food Safety Resolutions for the New Year
Finally, 2020 is in our rearview mirror and we can all turn the page to 2021! Resolutions for the new year might be more of the same from prior years (lose weight, exercise more, less screen time, etc.) OR you may have identified new practices to implement in your operation. If the latter, likely goals included some practices related to food safety – especially given the turmoil of 2020 and heightened concern by customers. It is our philosophy that attention to safe food handling practices is a win-win for any operation because of the direct relationship between food safety and food quality, which in turn leads to customer satisfaction. This past year has also demonstrated that attention to safety can affect the bottom line. Thus, the topic of our first SafeBites webinar for 2021 is on the topic of the return on investment of food safety, it is scheduled for January 20, so register now and please plan to attend.
