The Flow of Food: Purchasing and Receiving
6-1
Apply Your Knowledge: Test Your Food Safety Knowledge
1. True or False: A delivery of fresh fish should be received at
an internal temperature of 41°F (5°C) or lower
2. True or False: Turkey should be rejected if the texture is firm
and springs back when touched
3. True or False: You should reject a delivery of frozen steaks
covered in large ice crystals
4. True or False: If a sack of flour is dry upon delivery, the
contents may still be contaminated
5. True or False: A supplier that has been inspected and is in
compliance with local, state, and federal law can be
considered an approved source
6-2
Suppliers
Choose suppliers who get product
from approved sources
Approved sources:
„
Have been inspected
„
Are in compliance with applicable
local, state and federal law
6-3
General Receiving Principles
When Receiving Food:
„
Schedule deliveries for off-peak hours
„
Receive only one delivery at a time
„
Make sure enough trained staff are
available
„
Inspect deliveries immediately and
carefully
6-4
General Receiving Principles
When Receiving Food:
continued
„
Use calibrated
thermometers to sample
temperatures
„
Check shipments for:
„
Intact packaging
„
Refreezing
„
Prior wetness
„
Pest infestation
6-5
Checking the Temperature of Various Types of Food
Meat, Poultry, Fish
„
Insert the thermometer stem or probe
into the thickest part of the product
(usually the center)
6-6
Checking the Temperature of Various Types of Food
ROP and Bulk Food:
„
Insert the thermometer stem or probe
between two packages
„
As an alternative fold packaging around
the thermometer stem or probe
6-7
Checking the Temperature of Various Types of Food
Other Packaged Food:
„
Open the package and insert the
thermometer stem or probe into the
product
6-8
Receiving Criteria for Meat
Accept
Temperature:
41°F (5°C) or lower
Color:
Reject
Temperature:
> 41°F (5°C)
Color:
„
Beef: bright cherry red
„
Beef: brown or green
„
Lamb: light red
„
„
Pork: light pink meat,
firm white fat
Lamb: brown, whitish surface
covering the lean meat
„
Pork: excessively dark color,
soft or rancid fat
Texture: firm and springs
back when touched
Odor: no odor
Packaging: intact and
clean
Texture: slimy, sticky, or dry
Odor: sour odor
Packaging: broken cartons, dirty
wrappers, torn packaging, vacuum
packaging with broken seals
6-9
Receiving Criteria for Poultry
Accept
Reject
Color: no discoloration
Color: purple or green discoloration
around the neck; dark wing tips (red
tips are acceptable)
Temperature:
41°F (5°C) or lower
Texture: firm and springs
back when touched
Odor: no odor
Packaging: product should
be surrounded by crushed,
self-draining ice
Temperature:
> 41°F (5°C)
Texture: stickiness under wings or
around joints
Odor: abnormal, unpleasant odor
6-10
Receiving Criteria for Fish
Accept
Reject
Color: bright red gills; bright
shiny skin
Color: dull gray gills, dull dry skin
Temperature:
41°F (5°C) or lower
Texture: firm flesh that
springs back when touched
Odor: mild ocean or
seaweed smell
Eyes: bright, clear, and full
Temperature:
> 41°F (5°C)
Texture: soft flesh that leaves an
imprint when touched
Odor: strong fishy or ammonia
smell
Eyes: cloudy, red-rimmed, sunken
Packaging: product should
be surrounded by crushed,
self-draining ice
6-11
Receiving Criteria for Shellfish
Accept
Temperature:
„
„
Live: receive on ice or at an
air temperature of 45° F (7°C)
or lower
Shucked: receive at an
internal temperature of 45° F
(7°C) or lower
Odor: mild ocean or
seaweed smell
Shells: closed and unbroken
(indicates shellfish are alive)
Condition: if fresh, they are
received alive
Reject
Temperature:
„
Live: air temperature > 45° F
(7°C)
„
Shucked: internal
temperature > 45° F (7°C)
Texture: slimy, sticky, or dry
Odor: strong fishy smell
Shells: broken shells
Condition: dead on arrival
(open shells that do not close
when tapped)
6-12
Receiving Criteria for Shell Eggs
Accept
Reject
Odor: no odor
Odor: sulfur smell or
off odor
Shells: clean and unbroken
Shells: dirty or cracked
Temperature:
receive at an air temperature
of 45°F (7°C) or lower
Temperature:
air temperature > 45°F (7°C)
6-13
Receiving Criteria for Dairy Products
Accept
Temperature: 41°F (5°C) or
lower unless otherwise
specified by law
Milk: sweetish flavor
Butter: sweet flavor, uniform
color, firm texture
Cheese: typical flavor,
texture, and uniform color
Reject
Temperature: > 41°F (5°C),
unless otherwise specified
Milk: sour, bitter, or moldy taste
Butter: sour, bitter, or moldy
taste; uneven color; soft texture
Cheese: abnormal flavor
or texture, uneven color, unnatural
mold
6-14
Receiving Criteria for Fresh Produce
Accept
Conditions: vary according
to produce item; only accept
items that show no sign
of spoilage
Reject
Conditions: grounds for rejecting one
produce item may not apply to another;
signs of spoilage include:
„ Insect infestation
„ Mold and cuts
„ Wilting and mushiness
„ Discoloration and dull appearance
„ Unpleasant odors and tastes
Reject fresh-cut produce items that
have passed their expiration date.
6-15
Receiving Criteria for Refrigerated Ready-To-Eat Food
Accept
Reject
Packaging: intact and in
good condition
Packaging: torn packages or
packages with holes; expired
product use-by dates
Temperature:
41°F (5°C) or lower unless
specified by the manufacturer
Temperature:
> 41°F (5°C) unless otherwise
specified
6-16
Receiving Criteria for Frozen Processed Food
Accept
Reject
Packaging: intact and
in good condition
Packaging: torn packages or
packages with holes; fluids or
frozen liquids in case bottoms, ice
crystals or water stains on
packaging (evidence of thawing
and refreezing)
Temperature: frozen food
should be received frozen;
ice cream should be
received at 6°F to 10°F
(–14°C to –12°C)
Temperature: food that is not
frozen; ice cream at temperatures
> 6°F to 10°F (–14°C to –12°C)
Product: large ice crystals
on product (evidence of thawing
and refreezing)
6-17
Receiving Criteria for Canned Food
Accept
Can: can and seal are in
good condition
Product: normal color,
texture, odor
Reject
Can: swollen ends, leaks
and flawed seals, rust,
dents, no labels
Product: foamy, milky, or
has an abnormal color,
texture, or odor
6-18
Receiving Criteria for Dry Food
Accept
Packaging: intact and
in good condition
Product: normal color
and odor
Reject
Packaging: holes, tears,
or punctures; dampness or
water stains on outer cases
and inner packaging (indicates
it has been wet)
Product: abnormal color or
odor; spots of mold, or slimy
appearance; contains insects,
insect eggs, or rodent
droppings
6-19
Receiving Criteria for Bakery Goods
Accept
Reject
Packaging: intact and in
good condition
Packaging: torn packaging,
signs of pest damage
Temperature:
receive at the temperature
specified by the manufacturer
Temperature:
temperatures higher than those
specified by the manufacturer
Product: signs of pest
damage, mold
6-20
Receiving Criteria for Potentially Hazardous Hot Food
Accept
Reject
Container: able to maintain
proper temperatures;
undamaged
Container: unable to
maintain proper temperatures;
damaged
Temperature:
135°F (57°C) or higher
Temperature:
<135°F (57°C)
6-21
Apply Your Knowledge: Accept or Reject it?
Which products should be rejected?
1
Raw beef roasts that are bright red
2
Chicken received at an internal temperature of
50°F (10°C)
3
Eggs received at an air temperature of 45°F
(7°C)
4
Fresh salmon with flesh that springs back when
touched
5
Flour that is damp
6-22
Apply Your Knowledge: Accept or Reject it?
Which products should be rejected: continued
6
Live oysters that have a mild seaweed smell
7
Frozen meat with large ice crystals on the meat
and package
8
Clams with shells that do not close when tapped
9
Fresh turkey with dark wing tips
6-23