© livestock & meat commission for northern ireland 2015 purchasing and storing food

© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Purchasing and storing food

Learning Objectives• To explain how to use food labels to

purchase food that is safe to eat.• To identify good practice when shopping

for and transporting food.• To describe effective and safe storage

procedures for food.


Look for QualityThe Northern Ireland farm Quality Assurance Scheme is a code of practice operated by beef and sheep farmers. It is recognised at home and abroad as a symbol of the quality and character of the farm on which your meat is produced.

It gives the consumer the best possible assurances that it will be as safe, healthy and wholesome as possible.


Purchasing foodCarefully checking the labels on foods and following the instructions is an important way to reduce your chances of becoming ill through food poisoning.


Date labels – Use by datesFoods which spoil quickly (i.e. are highly perishable) such as cooked meat and fish have a ‘Use by’ date.

If kept for too long these foods can cause food poisoning even though they may not taste odd. Foods with a ‘Use by’ date should not be eaten after this date.


Date labels – Best before datesOther foods have a ‘best before’ date, after which foods may not be at their best, with regard to flavour, colour and texture, even though they will probably be safe if they have been stored according to the instructions on the label.


Best before dates and eggsPreviously, as eggs can contain the harmful bacteria salmonella, the advice was not to eat them after their ‘best before date’.

However, as part of a drive to cut food waste, the Food Standards Agency has revised its advice on using eggs after their ‘best before’ date. The advice now is that, providing the eggs are cooked thoroughly, e.g. in a cake or so that the white and yolk are hard they can be eaten a day or two after their ‘best before’ date.


Freezing star rating systemA simple star system is used on food labels to indicate what temperature the food should be held at and for how long:

• * - 6 º C 1 week (pre-frozen food only);

• ** - 12 º C 1 month (pre-frozen food only);

• *** - 18 º C 3 months (pre-frozen food only);

• **** - 18 º C or colder 6 months (pre-frozen food; can also be used to freeze fresh food from room temperature).


Preparation and cooking food – on the labelInstructions on how to prepare and cook the food must be given on the label, if they are needed. If the food has to be heated, the temperature of the oven and the cooking time will usually be stated.

Instructions may also be given for heating in a microwave oven.

These instructions should make sure that the food tastes its best and that it will be thoroughly heated to a core temperature of 70ºC to help minimise the risk of food poisoning.


Shopping and taking your food home

In order to prevent bacterial multiplication it is important to keep your chilled and frozen food as cold as possible whilst you are shopping and travelling home.


Shopping and taking your food homeSome suggestions are:

• Choose your chilled and frozen food at the end of your shopping trip;

• Always ensure that meat and poultry and properly wrapped up and even store in a separate bag;

• Use a cool bag and ice blocks and pack chilled and frozen foods together;

• Get your shopping home and into a fridge or freezer as soon as you can.


Storing foodWhen storing food, always remember that food should be stored:

• At the correct temperature;• Under the right conditions;• For the correct time;• And always read the instructions!


Storing food – in the fridgeWhen storing food in the fridge, it should be stored as follows:

• Top shelf – dairy foods (low risk foods);• Next shelf – cooked meats;• Next shelf – raw meat and fish, in a

container and covered to prevent cross-contamination through drips;

• Bottom – salad, fruit and vegetables.

Activity:To learn more and better understand refrigerated storage, why not try out our Interactive Fridge:http://www.food4life.org.uk/games/fridge


Storing food – in the fridge• Keep it at the right temperature

(between 0-5°C).• Keep the fridge door closed as much as

possible.• Wait for food to cool down before it is

placed in the fridge.• Do not overload the refrigerator. If the

fridge is full, the cool air will not circulate around the food. Food should be covered to prevent cross contamination and moisture loss.

• Clean to removed spills and food deposits whenever they occur to prevent contamination of food.

• Clean the fridge regularly – ideally once a week.


*below 5°C is the recommended temperature for good practice but 8°C is the legal maximum temperature for cold storage

Storing food – in the freezer

• Ensure the freezer is working at a temperature below -18 °C.

• Do not place hot foods in the freezer or leave the door open for extended periods.

• Do not overload the freezer. Cold air needs to circulate around the food.

• Store food with a label showing the contents and the date. Food should be wrapped well to prevent it drying out.

• Only freeze food when at its best condition, to allow the food to last longer.

• Keep the freezer clean by removing spills and food deposits when they occur.

• Never refreeze defrosted food, as this increases the growth of bacteria.© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

© livestock & meat commission for northern ireland 2015 purchasing and storing food

Documents

food labels

cooking food

food waste

fresh food

risk of food poisoning

food homein order

food standards agency

food learning objectivesto