Restaurants in Lebanon: 8 tips to help you Store your food safely.

 1- Use FIFO (first in first out) storing rules:

Whether you are sourcing your vegetable and meat products from the local Lebanese market or having to buy imported goods, when a new cargo arrives, put the newest food in the back so the older one will be used first. This rule can be applied for both dry and cold food. Tagging  all goods received with a date assures a good safety and freshness.

2- Position the meat products as low as possible:

Even if it is in a closed package, store the meat (fish,patty or chicken) below other items on the stainless shelves so the meat juice cannot drip down and  harm other food items.

3-Use close containers to store food:

Once the air contacts food, it will start to blight. In order to increase shelf life and control food safety and quality, store the food in a closed package.Use food storage boxes and food pan to organize your kitchen and keep it clean from infections and bacteria

4-Always place food above the floor :

it is a rule that all food must be stored 25cm above the floor. This will prevent the water or other contaminants from merging with the product bags and harm the food.

5-Monitor Temperature controls :

Refrigerators are very important to the food safety but only when they are configured at the right storing temperature. Each refrigeration unit should have a thermometer allowing the staff to be aware of the food safety. The food should be below the danger zone temperature.

6-Avoid overloading refrigeration units:

Do not overload a refrigeration unit because this will cause a bad performance of the system. The unit will  have to overwork to maintain the desired temperature and might have a hot spot in certain areas. Blocking the internal and external ventilation also affects negatively the performance of this working unit resulting in an unsafe storage conditions.

7-Shelves and floors should  be clean and organized:

In order to keep your kitchen clean and organized, use wall shelving and shelving units. Where dirt exists, bacteria can grow, so keeping the storage environment clean is a must to maintain a proper food safety in the kitchen. Organizing shelves with a clear item description tag also decreases keeping the door open and eases locate items.

8-When in doubt, throw it out:

Saying, “It should be fine” usually leads to a case of food poisoning. Throw away the product when in doubt.