Deliveries and storage

Food safety starts at the back door. Check every delivery before you sign for it, even if the driver is in a hurry.

Check the temperature of chilled food with a clean probe, between the packs and not through them. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, chilled food should arrive at 8°C or below. In Scotland, use the limit in your food safety procedures. Frozen food should be frozen solid, with no sign of thawing.

Check that packaging is undamaged, that dates are in order and that there are no signs of pests. Check that the vehicle looks clean, and that raw and ready-to-eat food are kept apart. If a delivery is not safe, refuse it, tell your supervisor and record what happened.

Put chilled and frozen food away first, and do it straight away. Take food out of outer boxes before it goes into a food area.

Store food off the floor, on clean shelves. Keep dry goods in sealed, labelled containers, which also keeps pests out. Keep raw food below ready-to-eat food, and keep food covered. Keep chemicals well away from food. Keep dry stores clean, cool and dry. Store cooking oil safely, so that it cannot spill. Do not use cans that are badly dented, swollen or leaking.

Rotate your stock. This means first in, first out: put new stock behind older stock, so that the older food is used first.

Follow the storage instructions on labels. Many foods need a fridge once opened. If you move food into another container, label it with what it is, the date and any allergens. Do not store opened cans of food in the can. Move the food into a clean, covered container.

If your business delivers food, the same rules apply on the road. Keep chilled and frozen food at the right temperature during the journey. Keep raw and ready-to-eat food apart. Use packaging or containers that protect food from contamination and are marked for food contact.