Receive and Store Foods Safely

It is not unheard of for foods to be delivered to a food-service operation already contaminated. To prevent this from happening to you, inspect all goods to be sure they arrive in sanitary conditions. Make a habit of checking delivery trucks for signs of unsanitary conditions such as dirt or pests. If the truck is a refrigerated or freezer unit, check the ambient temperature inside to see that it is adequate. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the product as well. Check expiration dates, and verify that foods have the required government inspection and certification stamps or tags. Randomly sample bulk items, as well as individual packages within cases. Reject any goods that do not meet your standards.