Food safety begins the moment ingredients arrive at your door. If you're not watching temps, checking quality, or storing properly, you're setting yourself—and your customers—up for risk. Safe receiving and proper cold storage are non-negotiable for any food service operation.
The Receiving Line is the Front Line
- Inspect every delivery on arrival. Look for signs of spoilage, torn packaging, incorrect labels, and unclean delivery vehicles.
- Measure product temperatures immediately—don’t accept anything outside safe ranges.
- Use our Receiving Guidelines Checklist to keep it consistent.
Cold Storage is Not “Set It and Forget It”
- Refrigerated foods must be held at 41°F (5°C) or below.
- Frozen foods should be stored at 0°F (-18°C) or lower.
- Label and date all items. Practice FIFO (First In, First Out).
- Store raw meats below ready-to-eat foods to prevent cross-contamination.
Know When to Toss
- Mold, odor, or slimy texture? Discard.
- Foods past their use-by or sell-by date? Discard.
- Power outage? Check internal temps—if they rise above 41°F for more than 4 hours, discard.
PDF
Receiving Guidelines - Poster
PDF
Cold Storage - Poster
