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Suppliers and safe food

By March 18, 2020 No Comments
Restaurant risk management & quality control training. Use restaurant risk management & quality control training to protect your business. Get Guide now!

Why food safety protect the food supply?

One of the first steps to producing and selling safe food is making sure that the food you buy from suppliers is safe.

Products should be purchased from well-known and respected suppliers that meet the following criteria:

  • Current food premises’ registration with a Local Council if required
  • Ability to consistently supply high-quality products
  • Reliability in meeting delivery times
  • Evidence of using a suitable Food Safety Program
  • Ability to supply an after-hours and emergency service;  and 
  • Reference from other reputable food businesses.

As well as meeting the above criteria, the supplier should be able to meet the following food safety criteria:

  • Perishable food must be delivered at 5 degrees C or below;
  • Hot food must be delivered at 60 degrees C or higher
  • Frozen food must be delivered at a temperature between minus 15 degrees C and minus 12 degrees C eg minus 10 degrees C is not acceptable
  • There should be no visible ice crystals, signs of discolouration or drying out
  • Food must be packaged in a way that protects it from contamination and the packing should be free of water, mold rust, dents, leaks, and bulges
  • Packages must be labeled in English with the name of the food, and the name and address of the supplier
  • A batch code or USE BY DATE must be visible and easily understood, and
  • the product must be delivered in a clean vehicle, which is designed for transporting the food delivered, eg a refrigerated truck to deliver perishable products.

Written agreements between suppliers and receivers are strongly recommended as they help simplify the process of returning and refunding unacceptable/unwanted products.

  • It may not be possible or practical for a business to check every item at the time of delivery.  In this situation, there should be an agreement with the supplier that if the food is not seen as acceptable that it can be returned or refunded.
  • Random spot-checking of temperatures and cleanliness of delivery vehicles should be done on a regular basis.

Why food safety protect the food supply?

Want to know more about suppliers and safe food? 

For a very low investment, why not download a copy of:

How to Protect your Food Business” eGuide

Controls to save time, money and reduce wastage.

 

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