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There are many benefits to having a food rotation system in place at a food establishment. Proper organizing, labeling, and dating of food products can help save money and reduce food waste. Additional advantages include preventing food borne illnesses, avoiding cross-contamination, and keeping inventory up to date. Moreover, accurate food rotation labels, keeps your facility Food and Drug Administration compliant. There are also other techniques. For example, using FIFO (First In, First Out) and food prep and rotation labels, are also helpful.
What is FIFO
FIFO is a system for storing and rotating food. Food stored the longest (“first in”), should be the first used (“first out”). This method basically helps keep food storage organized and uses food before it goes bad. To ensure that the system works, all food in refrigerators, freezers, and dry storage must clearly display the use-by date.
After receiving food items, organize by food group and store food packages of the same type together. This makes finding foods easier and cuts down on restocking time. Finally, arrange oldest to newest according to use-by dates. As an example, newer foods should be at the back of the shelf behind older food, making it simple to use older products before they spoil. The FIFO system saves food workers the time they would have spent searching for an item or comparing expiration dates.
Also, FIFO helps restaurants quickly track how food stock is used. This information is useful in managing inventory and adjusting orders to fit the needs of the facility more closely by reducing waste. The FIFO plan is essential to running a sustainable and environmentally conscious food establishment.
Importance of food rotation labels
The FDA requires proper labeling and dating of food products. Food rotation labels should be incorporated into the FIFO system to label and date products for preparation and storage. Clearly labeling the dates that items entered inventory allows you to keep track of how long you’ve had them.
Food rotation labels allows you to set up a storage system that helps keep food properly labeled and counters from being cluttered. These labels use special adhesives which leave no residue on the container. Such residue can harbor harmful bacteria. By placing food rotation labels in your storage bins, you can easily label the type of food in the container, the date it was added to the storage bin, and the date the food will expire. Using designated labels will provide peace of mind that you are doing all you can to decrease food waste and provide your customers with the best products possible.
Implementing food rotation labels are essential steps to any successful food service program. Bollin Label stocks a wide selection of food prep and rotation labels and labelers that can simplify a food rotation program. Let Bollin Label help make food service life a little easier with a variety of options that can fit any size budget. Contact us today!