UNIT 276 Maintain and promote hygiene in food

UNIT 276 Maintain and promote hygiene in food storage, preparation & cooking. STOREKEEPING. A clean orderly food store, run efficiently, is essential in any catering establishment for the following reasons: NLN Storage of food health and safety NLN Storage of food NLN prevention of food contamination.

• Stocks of food can be kept at a suitable level so eliminating the risk of running out of a commodity. • All food entering and leaving the stores can be properly checked, this helps to prevent waste. • A check can be kept on the percentage profit of each department of the establishment.

A well planned store should include the following: • It should be cool & facing North, to reduce the sunlight shinning in. • It must be well ventilated, verim proof and free from dampness, with good ventilation. • Located in a convenient area for both deliveries and issuing food stores.

A well planned store should include the following cont’d: • Hand wash facilities and first aid box. • Easy clean walls, shelves and floors with a regular cleaning rota.

Storage containers. Food delivered in flimsy bags or containers should be transferred to suitable containers, once temperature checked. • Bulk dry goods (sugar, salt, flour) should be stored in air tight bins. • Vegetables in sacks stored off the ground, to allow air flow. • Some goods are delivered in containers suitable for storage, these must be at a convenient height.

Foods are divided into three groups for the purpose of storage: • Perishable foods: meat, poultry, game, fish, dairy produce and fats, fruit & vegetables. • Dry goods: cereals, pulses, sugar, flour, bottled and canned foods, cleaning materials. • Frozen foods: these must be placed into a deep freeze at a temp of -18°c to -20°c.

Storage of Perishable goods. Meat & Poultry. • Temperature of refrigerator should be between 1°c (30°f) and 1°c (34°f). • Meat & poultry should be stored in separate trays in a clearly marked refrigerator. • Large meat joints should be hung to collect any blood in drip trays. • Frozen meat & poultry must be stored at -20°c (21°f). • Vaccum packing meat will retain flavour and freshness.

Vegetables. • A cool dry vegetable rack, in a well ventilated store. • Leave potatoes in sacks on pallets off the ground. • Leave courgettes, peppers, mushrooms in containers in a fridge ideally. • Store all other vegetables on a rack. • Check for decaying outer leaves and skins, remove from other vegetables.

Fruits. • Soft fruits should left in punnets and placed in refrigeration. • Hard fruits are stored in a cold store. • DO NOT refrigerate Bananas as they will go black. Eggs. • Store refrigerated at 1°c to 4°c. • Keep away from other foods, as the shells are porous. • Use in rotation and keep in boxes.

Bread, biscuits, gateaux. • Use in rotation, avoid overstocking. • Store in well ventilated cool store. • Frozen gateaux should be kept frozen. • Cakes containing cream should be refrigerated. Sandwiches. • All sandwiches must be sold within 4 - 24 hours of preparation. • They must be stored at a max temp of 8°c (46°f).

Dry goods. • Storage must be cool, well lit & ventilated. • Storage must be off the floor or in bins. • Items should be stacked neatly for ease of checking and stock rotation. Ice cream & frozen goods. • Store immediately on receipt. • Storage temperature must be -20°c. • Wrap all items to prevent freezer burn.

Fish. • Store in ice fish refrigerator, or fish drainer at -1°c (30°f) to 1°c (34°f). • Keep types of fish separated. • Smoked fish should separated from fresh fish. • Frozen fish should be stored at -18°c (0°f). • All fresh fish should be delivered in boxes of crushed ice.

Important points when receiving and storing food items. • All food hygiene and storage is governed by the General Food Hygiene Regulations 1992. • On receipt of foods check the following smell, appearance, texture, colour, temperature. • Store correctly, rotating stock to prevent food spoilage.

• Raw foods should be stored at the bottom of refrigerator. • Never store raw and cooked meats together. • Check refrigerator & freezer temperatures daily. • Refrigerators should be 1°c to 5°c. Freezers -20°c to -18°c. • Meat & poultry stored 1°c to 3°c. • Safe defrosting is carried out in a refrigerator, in trays.

Further study • NLN control of food pests • NLN harmful bacteria