When it comes to running a restaurant, one of the most important things to know is how to store food properly. Improperly stored food can attract pests or go bad and make customers sick. For the safety of your customers, the implementation of learning proper food storage is essential for every restaurant.
How You Can Properly Store Food at Your Restaurant
Here are a few easy tips to help ensure that you are storing your food correctly.
1. Use the FIFO Rule
Practice FIFI, the First In First Out method of stock rotation. Store food by use-by-dates so that the
oldest product gets used first. This rotation, coupled with use-by labeling, can help remove the chances of food sitting for too long and going bad.
2. Air Tight Containers and Meat
All of your food items should be stored in airtight containers, as air will hasten their expiration. While canned, high-acid foods can stay good for up to 18 months, most other foods don’t meet these criteria. Always use food storage bins that are air-tight to ensure that they won’t spoil quickly and that pests won’t get into them.
Similarly, raw meat should always be stored beneath other items. This is to ensure that no juices from the meat can leak and contaminate other items.
3. Temperature Control
Refrigeration is vital, and making sure the temperature is correct will help protect your food. Always keep a thermometer in your refrigerators and have staff check the temperatures at least once a day and note the time and temperature. This will help protect against fluctuations that could put your food at risk.
Similarly, you should never overload your refrigerators, as this can make them work overtime, increasing the chance of a malfunction. This can also lead to cold and warm spots within the refrigeration that can put your food in danger.
ServSafe Certification
If you’d like to learn more about how to safely store food, along with other ways to keep your customers safe, consider taking a ServSafe course. ServSafe training courses, developed by the National Restaurant Association, is one of the best resources when it comes to learning how to safely store, prepare and serve food in your establishment. For more information, be sure to consult with TSC Associates.
