It’s a Date!: Date-marking Helps Protect Food Quality and Safety

Because proper temperatures do not always control Listeria, time must also be employed to stop the spread of this organism. This is where date-labeling systems are particularly helpful. Because proper labeling of foods is so important to protecting customers’ health, a solid food rotation system should be in place in each food service or food retail operation.

FIFO Method of Rotation

A key component to any rotation system is the FIFO (First In, First Out) principle, which states that the foods received or prepared first should be used first. To be successful, the use-by dates must be clearly marked. New foods should always be placed behind older foods on shelves to make it easy for employees to pull the correct food. Operators may choose to implement a policy of shorter shelf lives to enhance food quality; therefore, employees must be trained to calculate the correct use-by date for foods they prepare or open based on FDA requirements and company policy. According to the FDA Model Food Code, the date marked on the container should be the use-by or discard date – not the date food is prepared. When calculating this length of time, the day the food is prepared or opened is counted as day one. For example, if potato salad is made on Tuesday and has a seven- day shelf life, the container should be marked with a discard date of Monday.

A standardized system incorporating color-coded, day-of-the-week labels is a simple way to implement a food rotation program. Preprinted labels are easy to read, often multi-lingual, and available in a variety of configurations and adhesives for every operational need. Color-coded labels are also advantageous to employees because they can see at a glance the day a food is marked without having to read multiple labels. In addition, printed labels are designed specifically to be used on and removed from food pans.

Masking tape, sticky notes and other methods are not designed to the standards required to stand up to the harsh, and often wet, environments of the kitchen, cooler or freezer.

Date-marking foods may seem like a simple practice, but it has far-reaching consequences. Noncompliance with date marking standards poses a business risk, and it opens the door to foodborne illnesses like Listeriosis. Food service operators know that foodborne illness outbreaks can cause significant harm to a business’s reputation and cause an immediate negative impact to the bottom line. Implementing an easy-to-use system of labeling and food rotation protects your business on multiple levels. Noncompliance risk is reduced, and food quality stays high because customers are served foods that are fresh. This keeps customers happy and returning for more.

Paul McGinnis is vice president of marketing for Daydots, an Ecolab company. Reach him at [email protected].