To ensure your customers receive safe and wholesome foods, proper inspection and storage of the food is required.

Food should be inspected as soon as it is received and prior to using, storing or reselling it. Accept food only if it satisfies the following conditions:

• The food was prepared by and received from an approved source. (An approved source is a county, state, or federally permitted food facility. Food prepared in a private home is not acceptable.)
• The food is in a wholesome condition.
• The food is in containers that are not damaged.
• The food or containers are not contaminated with insects, rodents, or other vermin.
• Perishable foods are delivered within temperature requirements. (Hot food 140 degrees F or above, cold foods 41 degrees F or below)
• Frozen foods have no visible signs of thawing and refreezing (i.e. frost or ice crystals on boxes or food).
• Shell eggs are clean and unbroken.
• Raw or raw frozen molluscan shellfish containers are properly labeled with the species, quantity, harvest site, date of harvest and name and certification number of the harvester or original shipper or both. (Keep labels for at least 90 days.)

The food storage areas should be large enough to store all of the food. Non-food items should be stored separately from food items.

• Store all food at least six inches off the floor (except for bulk containers).
• Containers may be stored on dollies, racks, or pallets not meeting the height requirements if they are easily moveable.
• Store all food containers so they are protected from dirt, insects or rodents, overhead leakage, or other sources of contamination.
• Returned or damaged food items should be stored separately.
• Bulk food that is not stored in the original container should have the common name of the product on the storage container.

Unpackaged foods may be displayed for customer self-service under certain conditions. Types of foods that may be allowed for display in an unpackaged state are produce (in a grocery store); bulk grains, pasta and dried fruits in self-service bins (in a grocery store); salad bars; and buffet lines.

Produce may be displayed on open counters or containers. Bulk foods in self-service containers should have tongs, scooper or other dispensing utensil with a handle. The container should be labeled with the common name of the product and a list of ingredients.

Ready-to-eat foods, such as in salad bars and buffet lines, must be shielded by a sneeze guard, or stored in a container with a tight fitting lid, or dispensed from a mechanical dispenser.

A utensil such as tongs, spoon, scooper, pastry papers or other approved means of dispensing should be used.

Food storage equipment includes containers, counters, shelves, tables, and refrigeration units. Make sure all food storage equipment is:

• In good condition.
• Made of durable, nontoxic, noncorrosive, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable material.