Receiving and Storage Guidelines
Receiving
• Only accept food shipments from approved sources.
• Check that the delivery vehicle is clean. Reject the shipment if the vehicle is dirty or if there is
evidence of pests (mouse droppings, cockroach casings, cockroaches, flies, etc.)
• Ensure that chemicals have been stored separately from food and food containers on the vehicle.
• Check that the temperatures of refrigeration and freezer units on the vehicle are at the correct
temperatures: at or below 4oC (40oF) for refrigeration units and below -18oC (0oF) for freezers.
• Using a probe thermometer, check that the internal temperature of refrigerated food is at or
below 4oC (40oF) and frozen food at or below -18oC (0oF).
• Do not accept food that is spoiled, damaged, or past its ‘best before’ date.
• Reject products with broken boxes, torn bags or strange odours.
General storage guidelines
• When putting away a food shipment, store foods in this order:
1st: potentially hazardous foods requiring refrigeration (meats, seafood, dairy, etc.)
2nd: frozen foods
rd
3 : less hazardous foods that require refrigeration (fresh, uncut fruits and vegetables, etc.)
4th: dry goods
• Use the “first in, first out” (FIFO) principle. Pull old stock to the front and store the new stock
behind.
• Note the code date on products: ‘best before’ date, ‘expiry’ date or ‘use by’ date; and rotate
stock so that old stock is used before the new stock.
• If necessary, protect food from contamination by wrapping and covering it.
• Make sure that all food is labelled with the product name and the date that it was received.
• Use only food-grade containers to store food.
• Do not store food on the floor. All food should be stored at least 15 cm (6 inches) off of the
floor.
Cooler storage suidelines
• Check the temperature of the cooler on both the built-in and the portable thermometers to
ensure that the cooler temperature is between 0oC and 4oC (32oF – 40oF). If the cooler is above
4oC (40oF), take corrective action.
• Store raw meats, poultry, fish and dairy products below cooked, prepared and ready to eat
foods.
Freezer storage guidelines
• Check the temperature of the freezer on both the built-in and the portable thermometers to
ensure that the freezer temperature is below -18oC (0oF). If the freezer is above -18oC (0oF), take
corrective action.