Food Expiration Code Cheat Chart
Expiration Date Cheat Sheet
Food Safety & Product Dating FOOD HANDLING Recommendations for storage and handling produce • • Produce handling fact sheets for volunteers • • • • • • • • • • • FOOD SAFETY Food safety is of primary concern to Second Harvest Foodbank, to your agency and to the people you serve. Here are some general rules that protect both the food you distribute and the guests you’re serving: • Keep Cold Foods Cold and Hot Foods Hot: Frozen and refrigerated product should be maintained in cold temperatures during transport if possible.
It should also be delivered and stored as quickly as possible. Food that is exposed to the temperature danger zone between 41-135 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 4 hours may become unsafe to eat. Be sure to monitor your coolers and freezers for maintaining the proper and safe temperatures too. • Never re-freeze thawed food: Occasionally, meats may be frozen prior to their expiration date. Be sure to tell your clients to prepare the entire product immediately after thawing.
Hostess Expiration Codes
Previously frozen foods should never be thawed and then re-frozen. • Inspect cans for damage: Discard bulging, rusted or severely dented cans with metal touching metal, opened or leaking packages and broken seals. If you notice items with these flaws when you unpack them at your agency, do not distribute them or cook with them. • Circulate your inventory: Be sure to use the First In First Out (FIFO) method of stocking and distributing your inventory. • Keep up with Recalls: If Second Harvest Foodbank has distributed product affected by recalls to your agency, your agency will be notified. However, it is possible some products may have unknowingly been distributed through the miscellaneous food boxes, through agency shopping, store purchases, food drives or other donations. Please check your pantries, kitchens, storage areas, etc.