Food Safety and Storage for Cook-Chill foods
It is recommended to store the chilled food at the temperature between 0⎯5°C. Temperatures outside this range promote spoilage, which could lead to food poisoning outbreaks. Establishing temperatures for various food items and the use of an internal thermometer to crosscheck temperatures are also highly recommended.
It is worth to note that cook-chill stores should not be used for any other purpose than storing the chilled food because the risk of cross contamination would be greatly increased. The increased the number of times the door open and shut would also lead to temperature variations.
As many food items only have a shelf life of up to 5 days, it is crucial that stock rotation procedures are strictly followed and use-by dates are monitored. Food items must be dispatched prior to sell-by date in accordance with organizational requirements. Efficient stock rotation is easier to achieve if all information related to receiving, storing and issuing cook-chill foods is accurately recorded and forwarded to the appropriate person in accordance with organizational requirements. Accurate records are important to management in that it enables sufficient stock to be purchased and it also allows efficient planning of staff and use of equipment.
Recording the Receipt of Cook-Chill Food⎯A form similar to the one below could be used to record the receipt of cook-chill food:
Reference: Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Education and Training Authority (THETA), 2003