Dry storage is one of the oldest food storage techniques. It has been in practice since a long time. The term "dry storage" refers to the storage of shell stock that is not submerged in water. Dry storage does not necessitate a climate-controlled environment for the products. The shelf life of items kept dry is usually quite long. Dry storage also refers to the process of storing a boat or other watercraft on land.
The dry storage area of your business is where you keep non-temperature-controlled stocks of cereals, flour, rice, dried pasta, fruit and vegetables, canned goods, and packaged foods. Fundamental dry storage is used to store any food that does not require absolute temperature control to remain safe, such as unopened food that has been commercially processed to remain germ-free without temperature control.
Pasta, canned foods, cake mixes, flours, grains, beans, spices, honey, oils, dehydrated fruit, seeds, and the list goes on include items that do not require temperature control. Peanut butter, potato chips, rice, and canned vegetables (such as canned corn or green beans) are examples of items that do not need to be kept in a climate-controlled environment.
In a food business, the following practices are critical for effective and safe dry storage.
Food storage areas must be kept clean and in good working order. The storage area should be dry, cool, well-lit, ventilated, and pest-free. Foods should be kept away from moisture and direct sunlight. Different food groups should be stored separately in dry food storage areas that are appropriately labelled.
Chemicals and cleaning equipment must be kept away from foods. Cross contamination from physical, chemical, or biological contaminants must be avoided when foods are stored.
When receiving foods, make sure the packaging is intact and undamaged, and that the food is still edible. Any food that is out of date or has been damaged in the packaging should be returned to the supplier.
Opened packaged foods must be stored in clean, non-toxic, food-grade containers with tight fitting lids or wrapped in protective packaging (such as foil, plastic food wrap, grease-proof paper, etc.). They must then be labelled and dated properly.
To reduce the attraction of pests and the risk of contamination, food spills should be cleaned up as soon as possible. If pests are discovered, they must be deterred and eradicated as quickly as possible. Droppings, eggs, webs, feathers, and odors are all signs of pest activity.
Make sure to inspect the dry store as well as the dry foods on a daily basis. It is critical to discard any damaged, contaminated, spoiled, or out-of-date products. Follow the instructions in your Food Safety Program to monitor and record pest activity and control measures.
There are many advantages of practicing the dry storage technique:
The process does not require you to spend extra bucks on storage equipment. It is highly cost-effective.
Non-perishable foods can be stored indefinitely.
Typically used to store a large quantity of food items, particularly during shipping, warehouses, and hotels.
Comments