Chapter

The Flow of Food:

Purchasing and Receiving

6-1

Learning Objectives
At the end of the chapter the participants must
be able to:

Identify an approved food source

Identify accept and reject criteria for:

Meat and poultry

Seafood
Milk & dairy products
Eggs
Fruit & vegetables

Canned goods & other

dry food

Ready-to-eat food

Frozen food

Bakery goods

6-2

Suppliers
Choose suppliers who get product from
approved sources
Approved sources:

Have been inspected

Are in compliance with applicable local, state and

federal law

6-3

General Receiving Principles

When Receiving Food:

Schedule deliveries for offpeak hours

Receive only one delivery

at a time

Make sure enough trained

staff are available

Inspect deliveries
immediately and carefully

6-4

General Receiving Principles

When Receiving Food: continued

Use calibrated thermometers to sample temperatures

Check shipments for:

Intact packaging

Refreezing

Prior wetness

Pest infestation

6-5

Checking the Temperature of Various Types of Food

Meat, Poultry, Fish

Insert the thermometer stem or probe into the

thickest part of the product (usually the center)

ROP and Bulk Food:

Insert the thermometer stem or probe between two
packages
As an alternative fold packaging around the
thermometer stem or probe
Other Packaged Food:
Open the package and insert the thermometer stem or
probe into the product
6-6

Receiving Criteria for Meat

Accept

Temperature: 41F (5C) or lower

Color:
Beef: bright cherry red

Lamb: light red

Pork: light pink meat, firm white fat

Texture: firm and springs back when touched

Odor: no odor
Packaging: intact and clean

6-7

Receiving Criteria for Meat

Reject

Temperature: > 41F (5C)

Color:
Beef: brown or green
Lamb: brown, whitish surface covering the lean meat
Pork: excessively dark color, soft or rancid fat
Texture: slimy, sticky, or dry
Odor: sour odor
Packaging: broken cartons, dirty wrappers, torn
packaging, vacuum packaging with broken seals
6-8

Receiving Criteria for Poultry

Accept
Temperature: 41F (5C) or lower
Color: no discoloration
Texture: firm and springs back when touched
Odor: no odor
Packaging: product should be surrounded by
crushed, self-draining ice

6-9

Receiving Criteria for Poultry

Reject
Temperature: > 41F (5C)
Color: purple or green discoloration around the neck;
dark wing tips (red tips are acceptable)
Texture: stickiness under wings or around joints
Odor: abnormal, unpleasant odor

6-10

Receiving Criteria for Fish

Accept
Temperature: 41F (5C) or lower
Color: bright red gills; bright shiny skin
Texture: firm flesh that springs back when touched
Odor: mild ocean or seaweed smell
Eyes: bright, clear, and full
Packaging: product should be surrounded by
crushed, self-draining ice

6-116-11

Receiving Criteria for Fish

Reject
Temperature: > 41F (5C)
Color: dull gray gills, dull dry skin
Texture: soft flesh that leaves an imprint when
touched
Odor: strong fishy or ammonia smell
Eyes: cloudy, red-rimmed, sunken

6-12

Receiving Criteria for Shellfish

Accept
Temperature:

Live: receive on ice or at an air temperature of

45 F (7C) or lower

Shucked: receive at an internal temperature

of 45 F (7C) or lower

Odor: mild ocean or

seaweed smell
Shells: closed and unbroken (indicates shellfish are
alive)
Condition: if fresh, they are received alive
6-13

Receiving Criteria for Shellfish

Reject
Temperature:
Live: air temperature > 45 F (7C)
Shucked: internal temperature > 45 F (7C)
Texture: slimy, sticky, or dry
Odor: strong fishy smell
Shells: broken shells
Condition: dead on arrival (open shells that do not
close when tapped)

6-14

Receiving Criteria for Shell Eggs

Accept

Reject

Temperature:
receive at an air
temperature of 45F (7C)
or lower

Temperature:
air temperature > 45F (7C)

Odor: no odor
Shells: clean and
unbroken

Odor: sulfur smell or off

odor
Shells: dirty or cracked

6-15

Receiving Criteria for Dairy Products

Accept

Reject

Temperature: 41F
(5C) or lower unless
otherwise specified by
law

Temperature: > 41F

(5C), unless otherwise
specified

Milk: sweetish flavor

Milk: sour, bitter, or

moldy taste

Butter: sweet flavor,

uniform color, firm
texture

Butter: sour, bitter, or

moldy taste; uneven color;
soft texture

Cheese: typical
flavor, texture, and
uniform color

Cheese: abnormal flavor

or texture, uneven color,
unnatural mold

6-16

Receiving Criteria for Fresh Produce

Accept

Reject

Conditions: vary
according
to produce item; only
accept items that
show no sign
of spoilage

Conditions: grounds for

rejecting one produce item
may not apply to another;
signs of spoilage include:
Insect infestation
Mold and cuts
Wilting and mushiness

Discoloration and dull

appearance
Unpleasant odors and
tastes
Reject fresh-cut produce items that have passed their
expiration date.
6-17

Receiving Criteria for Refrigerated Ready-To-Eat Food

Accept

Reject

Temperature:
41F (5C) or lower
unless specified by
the manufacturer

Temperature:
> 41F (5C) unless
otherwise specified

Packaging: intact
and in good condition

Packaging: torn
packages or packages
with holes; expired
product use-by dates

6-18

Receiving Criteria for Frozen Processed Food

Accept

Reject

Temperature:
frozen food should
be received frozen;
ice cream should
be received at 6F
to 10F (14C to
12C)

Temperature: food that is

not frozen; ice cream at
temperatures
> 6F to 10F (14C to 12C)

Packaging: intact
and in good
condition

Packaging: torn packages or

packages with holes; fluids or
frozen liquids in case bottoms,
ice crystals or water stains on
packaging (evidence of
thawing and refreezing)
Product: large ice crystals on
product (evidence of thawing
and refreezing)
6-19

Receiving Criteria for Canned Food

Accept

Reject

Can: can and seal

are in good
condition

Can: swollen ends,

leaks and flawed
seals, rust, dents, no
labels

Product: normal
color, texture, odor

Product: foamy,
milky, or has an
abnormal color,
texture, or odor

6-20

Receiving Criteria for Dry Food

Accept

Reject

Packaging: intact
and in good condition

Packaging: holes,
tears, or punctures;
dampness or water
stains on outer cases
and inner packaging
(indicates it has been
wet)

Product: normal
color
and odor

Product: abnormal
color or odor; spots of
mold, or slimy
appearance; contains
insects, insect eggs, or
rodent droppings

6-21

Receiving Criteria for Bakery Goods

Accept

Reject

Temperature:
receive at the
temperature specified
by the manufacturer

Temperature:
temperatures higher than
those specified by the
manufacturer

Packaging: intact
and in good condition

Packaging: torn
packaging, signs of pest
damage
Product: signs of pest
damage, mold

6-22

Receiving Criteria for Potentially Hazardous Hot Food

Accept

Reject

Temperature:
135F (57C) or higher

Temperature:
<135F (57C)

Container: able to
maintain proper
temperatures;
undamaged

Container: unable to
maintain proper
temperatures; damaged

6-23

Apply Your Knowledge: Test Your Food Safety Knowledge

1. True or False: A delivery of fresh fish should be received at an
internal temperature of 41F (5C) or lower
2. True or False: Turkey should be rejected if the texture is firm
and springs back when touched
3. True or False: You should reject a delivery of frozen steaks
covered in large ice crystals
4. True or False: If a sack of flour is dry upon delivery, the
contents may still be contaminated
5. True or False: A supplier that has been inspected and is in
compliance with local, state, and federal law can be
considered an approved source
6-246-24

Apply Your Knowledge: Accept or Reject it?

Which products should be rejected?
1

Raw beef roasts that are bright red

Chicken received at an internal temperature of

50F (10C)
2

Eggs received at an air temperature of 45F

(7C)
3

Fresh salmon with flesh that springs back when

touched
4

Flour that is damp

6-256-25

Apply Your Knowledge: Accept or Reject it?

Which products should be rejected: continued
6

Live oysters that have a mild seaweed smell

Frozen meat with large ice crystals on the meat

and package
7

Clams with shells that do not close when tapped

Fresh turkey with dark wing tips

6-266-26