Cake_Masters_-_October_2019

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MAGAZINE

After the brilliantly helpful article last
month regarding allergens, Katie Young
is back to tell you all about storage.
Katie Young MCIEH, Bsc (Hons) has
over 15 years' experience in food
safety enforcement and is the owner of
Beacon Compliance.

SMART STORAGE CAN SAVE YOU
MONEY... and prevent prosecution.

Wouldn’t we all love more storage!
Picture this... a beautiful array of
storage containers, colour coded, size
and alphabetically ordered, separate
temperature control for raw materials,
work in progress and finished products,
raw foods, ready to eat foods, etc. Do
your food storage areas look like this? If
not, perhaps this is how you should be
thinking!

The way we store food at the various
steps of baking can significantly affect
the safety and quality of the food we
handle and create in more than one
way. Hazards associated with storage
can be easily avoided if you have
undertaken a thorough assessment
of your food operation, identifying
all the hazards at each process step
and implementing effective control
measures to reduce them to an
acceptable level (HACCP).

Storage hazards can occur at every
stage of the baking process. The table
provides some examples on how
microbiological, chemical, physical and
allergenic hazards can be controlled.

Good storage practices will mean
less waste which in turn will save
you money. Failure to adopt safe
practices when storing foods can result
in enforcement fines and potential
prosecution, loss of business through
damage to reputation, civil claims and
injury to consumers both physically
and mentally.

[email protected]

http://www.beacon-compliance.co.uk

http://www.facebook.com/beaconcompliance

BUSINESS BITES

Welcome to Business Bites, our new monthly feature where we give you all the best

tips and tricks for your business. This month, we discuss storage!

Control Measure Raw

Materials

Work in

Progress

Finished

Product

Store foods that require refrigeration at or

below 5°C (target 5°C is recommended) to

prevent growth of bacteria

Store foods that require freezing at or below

-18°C (unless otherwise indicated on the

packaging) to maintain product quality

Store foods that are ‘shelf stable’ as per

storage guidelines, typically out of direct

sunlight to ensure optimal conditions for

quality

Check integrity of packaging i.e. not

damaged, to prevent fraudulent or

substitution products being used

Check durability date to ensure in best

condition to use or in a safe state

Once opened, ensure resealed/decanted

into food grade airtight container to prevent

physical contamination or deterioration in

quality

Apply best before/use by date once opened

to keep track of when safe to use/of best

quality

Ensure adequately covered to prevent

physical contamination

Stock rotation (first in first out - FIFO) to

ensure use in best/safe condition

Store raw unprocessed foods beneath ready

to eat foods to prevent microbiological

contamination

Clearly identify allergens at risk materials i.e.

gluten may be in all products but soya may

not, to avoid allergenic cross contamination

Check for signs of infestation/pests i.e.

holes, gnaw marks, droppings, to avoid

microbiological and physical contamination

Sieve powder based ingredients before use to

remove any physical contaminants

Store foods away from chemicals/don’t use

chemicals around foods to avoid chemical

contamination

Maintain traceability i.e. lot numbers, batch

of ingredients, quantities used, apply best

before/use by dates on finished products to

enable you to recall products if required