Chapter 6, The Flow of Food: Purchasing and Receiving

Question 1

Approved Supplier

Answer 1

Suppliers who have been inspected, are able to provide an inspection report, and who meet applicable local, state, and federal laws

Question 2

Receiving Considerations

Answer 2

Scheduling; Suppliers should deliver food when staff have enough time to inspect it, schedule deliveries at a time when they can be received correctly.

Staff Needs; Make specific staff responsible for receiving. Train them to follow food safety procedures, including checking items for correct temperatures, expired code dates, signs of thawing and refreezing, and pest damage. Staff should be able to accept, reject, and sign for deliveries. Provide them with the tools they need, including purchase orders, temperature logs, thermometers, and scales. Make sure enough trained staff are available to receive and inspect food promptly.

Good Preparation; Plan ahead for deliveries. Have clean hand trucks, carts, dollies, and containers ready. Make sure there is enough space in dry-storage and walk-in areas for deliveries.

Timing and Process for Inspections; Deliveries must be inspected immediately upon receipt. The process starts with a visual inspection of the delivery truck. Check it for signs of contamination. Inspect overall condition of the vehicle. Look for signs of pests. If there are signs of problems, reject the delivery. Continue with a visual inspection of food items. Look at each delivery right away to count quantities, check for damaged food, and look for items that might have been repacked or mishandled. Spot-check weights and take sample temperatures of all TCS food. Inspect and store each delivery before accepting another one. This will prevent temperature abuse in the receiving area.

Question 3

Use-By Date

Answer 3

Last date recommended for a product to be at peak quality

Question 4

Expiration Date

Answer 4

Last date recommended for a product to be at peak quality

Question 5

Sell-By Date

Answer 5

Date that tells a store how long to display a product for sale

Question 6

Best-By Date

Answer 6

Date by which a product should be eaten for best flavor or quality

Question 7

Shell Stock Identification Tags

Answer 7

A tag that identifies when and where shellfish were harvested and the supplier

Question 8

Four Guidelines for Recalls

Answer 8

1. ) Identify the recalled food items by matching information from the recall notice to the item. This may include the manufacturers ID, the time the item was manufactured, and the item’s use-by date.
2. ) Remove the item from inventory, and place it in a secure and appropriate location. That may be a cooler or dry-storage area. The recalled item must be stored separately from food, utensils, equipment, linens, and single-use items.
3. ) Label the item in a way that will prevent it from being placed back in inventory. Some operations do this by including a “Do Not Use” and “Do Not Discard” label on recalled food items. Inform staff not to use the product.
4. ) Refer to the vendor’s notification or recall notice for what to do with the item. For example, you might be instructed to throw it out or return it to the vendor.

Question 9

Key Drop Delivery

Answer 9

The receipt of food by a food service operation while it is closed for business.

Question 10

Inspection Stamp

Answer 10

A stamp indicating that a carcass or package of meat has been inspected by the USDA or a state department or agriculture