Purchasing, Receiving, and Storage
Domain 3 tests approved sourcing, receiving temperatures, rejection criteria, and storage practices that prevent cross-contamination and growth. Exam items often give a delivery temperature and ask accept or reject.
Receiving
- Buy from approved suppliers; require invoices and shellstock tags.
- Receive TCS foods at 41°F or below; raw shell eggs, milk, and shellfish at 45°F or below.
- Frozen food must be solidly frozen with no thaw/refreeze signs.
- Reject damaged packaging, expired product, off odors, pests, and unsafe temperatures.
- Keep shellstock tags for 90 days after the last shellfish is sold.
Storage
- Use FIFO: first in, first out.
- Store food at least 6 inches off the floor and away from walls.
- Store raw animal foods below ready-to-eat foods; separate species to prevent drip cross-contamination.
- Date-mark ready-to-eat TCS foods held more than 24 hours; discard after 7 days at 41°F or below.
Worked example
A delivery arrives with ground beef at 45°F and shell eggs at 45°F. Reject the ground beef because it is a TCS food above 41°F. Accept the shell eggs because raw shell eggs may be received at 45°F or below under common U.S. code provisions.
Traps
Do not accept partially thawed food because it “feels cold.” Do not store raw chicken above lettuce. Do not treat date marking as optional for ready-to-eat TCS foods held over 24 hours.