With current regulations regarding COVID-19 and many people choosing to eat at home rather than frequent potentially crowded areas, restaurants have seen a steep decline in the volume of guests they serve. With this decreased volume comes the risk of product, raw and prepared, sitting in a refrigerator too long. This may cause the potential for spoilage and the spread of foodborne illness via bacteria growing in outdated foods. It’s especially important to provide your staff with appropriate food safety training regarding managing expiration dates and proper labeling of prepared product.
Managing Expiration Dates, Labeling and Proper Food Safety Training
Fresh product doesn’t last forever, so it’s important to note expiration dates on raw ingredients. Some ingredients to pay extra close attention to include:
- Produce
- Dairy
- Proteins
- Seafood
- Ready-to-eat Foods
Produce is one of the most susceptible products to mold, mildew and risk or bacteria from rotting. Keep a close eye on produce even if it hasn’t reached its expiration date. Any fruits or vegetables that show signs that they may be questionable should be disposed of.
Dairy is another product which causes a foodborne illness risk when expired. Just like produce, make sure you adhere to the expiration dates and dispose of dairy products of questionable quality.
Meats and seafood pose a substantial food safety risk when expired. During low volume, we’d recommend bringing in frozen proteins, especially fish and poultry, in order to more closely control the amount of product in your walk-in refrigerators. Pulling and thawing just enough product for a couple of days at a time will lower risk of spoilage, reduce waste and keep your inventory under control. Just remember your food safety training and thaw product according to Minnesota health regulations.
Finally, label and date all ready-to-eat foods. If you’ve brought in ready-to-eat foods from an outside source, take note of the expiration date on the package and do not use once expired. With ready-to-eat foods made in house, the food code allows for proper storage for up to seven days. This is why a well-planned date marking system should be utilized in your establishment. Just remember, some sensitive foods may not have a seven-day shelf life, so plan accordingly. During times of low volume, it may be prudent to reduce pars on ready-to-eat foods to reduce the risk of spreading illness.
Are you doing regular food safety training to remind your food prep staff to manage expiration dates and date markers?