The Flow of Food

HACCP begins with a concept called the flow of food. This term refers to the movement of food through a food-service operation, from receiving through storage, preparation, and service, until it gets to the final consumer.

The flow of food is different for each item being prepared. Some menu items involve many steps. For example, a luncheon dish of creamed chicken and vegetables over rice might have the steps shown in Figure 2.3.

Even the simplest items undergo several steps. For example, a cake bought already prepared from a commercial baker and served as dessert will go through at least the three steps in Figure 2.4 on its way to the customer.