Handling and storing raw materials, semi-finished and finished products
Outcome. FI: Henkilö osaa käsitellä ja säilyttää raaka-aineita, puolivalmisteita ja valmiita tuotteita oikein. EN: The person can handle and store raw materials, semi-finished and finished products correctly.
Why it matters
Storage temperature is the most regulated food safety factor, and inspectors check it. It also decides how long food lasts.
What to know
The cold chain (kylmäketju) must not be broken; only short-term deviations without health risk are allowed. A short-term deviation is one-off, at most 24 hours and at most 3 °C. An operator may use other than the standard temperatures only if it can show food safety is not endangered. Cold goods go into cold storage at once, not left at room temperature. A vehicle does not cool food, so food is at the required temperature before loading. Storage limits describe the conditions; serving and transport limits describe the food.
Take out of cold storage only what is needed at a time. Respect the fill limit of cold cabinets, and never exceed the marked loading height of open freezers. Protect raw materials from deterioration and contamination, keep packaging off the floor, and keep unpackaged smoked fish and raw fish apart in a counter. Do not accept raw materials that are, or may reasonably be expected to be, so contaminated that the final product would be unfit. Perishable pizza toppings such as ham, shrimp and chopped vegetables stay cold even though the pizza is baked.
Transport: chilled perishable food to the consumer at max +6 °C, heated perishable food at least +60 °C, a mixed chilled load at max +6 °C. Warm food must not cool to room temperature, and perishable food must not freeze. The recipient is told in writing about a storage requirement not shown on the label.
Freezing and thawing: freezing does not kill microbes or stop rancidity. Freeze mince soon after grinding, not near the use-by date. Thaw in a refrigerated space, and drain the drip liquid quickly. Thawed food is generally not refrozen. Packaging of frozen products for consumers says so, and shows the freezing date for meat, meat preparations and unprocessed fish. Own freezer products in registered operations are used within two months, then checked by the senses.
Scenario
A delivery of minced beef sits at the back door for twenty minutes. It measures +8 °C, which is above the +4 °C limit by more than 3 °C, so corrective action is needed and the batch must be assessed before use.
Numbers to remember
| Food | Max storage temperature |
|---|---|
| Minced meat, ground liver | +4 °C |
| Perishable milk and cream; other perishable milk-based products; sprouts, cut vegetables, insects; sushi, kalakukko, live mussels | +6 °C |
| Yoghurt, viili, buttermilk, most cheeses; pasteurised juices | +8 °C |
| Fresh packed fish, vacuum and gas-packed fish, cold-smoked and freshly salted fish, cooked shellfish, thawed fish | 0 to +3 °C |
| Frozen food | -18 °C or colder (brief rises to -15 °C) |
| Transport to consumer | chilled max +6 °C, hot at least +60 °C |
Myth vs reality
- Myth: The fill line is decoration. Reality: Overfilling harms air circulation.
- Myth: Thaw fish on the counter. Reality: Thaw in a refrigerated space.
- Myth: Perishable food may freeze in transport. Reality: It must not.
In the test
Memorise the temperature table. If a statement gives a limit one step off (+8 for milk, +6 for mince), it is false.