LA County Public Health - Environmental Health

Inspecting food products upon receipt is the first step to prevent unsafe food from entering the food establishment and being served to the consumer.

1. Inspect and only accept food that is fresh or frozen, at the appropriate food temperatures, from an approved source and free of vermin (e.g., cockroaches or insects) or contamination.

2. Schedule deliveries at off-peak hours, so that employees can properly inspect and store food items.

3. Identify acceptable food products. The following list should help:

Meats

Color:

Beef: bright, cherry red
Lamb: light red
Pork: light pink, lean, white rind or fat

Texture:

Fresh: firm and elastic
Frozen: solid (not partially thawed)

Temperatures:

Frozen: 0°F or below (no signs of thawing)
Fresh: 41°F or below

Odor:

No pronounced odor

Poultry

Color:

No discoloration
Texture:
Firm and elastic
Temperatures:
Frozen: 0°F or below (no signs of thawing)
Fresh: 41°F or below
Odor:
No pronounced odor

Fish

Color:

Whole fresh: bright red moist gills, eyes bulging and clear
Texture:
Fresh: firm and elastic
Temperatures:
Frozen: 0°F or below
Fresh: between 32°F and 41°F
Odor:
No fishy odor

Shellfish

Shellfish can be separated into two categories:

1. Crustacea (lobsters, crabs, shrimp)

2. Mollusks (oysters, clams, mussels)

All shellfish must be from an approved source (under license or permit by a government agency).

Raw or raw frozen molluscan shellfish should only be accepted if the container is properly labeled with the species, quantity, harvest site, date of harvest and the name and certification number of harvester or original shipper or both.

The shellfish certification tags must be kept on the original container until empty and then retained for 90 days from the date of receipt.

Canned Goods

Reject canned food if it is improperly-labeled (not in English, missing product name, ingredients, manufacturer or distributor's address, product weight) or if you observe any of the following:

Swollen top or bottom
Leaking
Flawed seals
Rust
Seam or rim dents
Labels that have been removed or are illegible

Dry Goods

Reject the package if it is opened, improperly labeled or shows signs of contamination (for example, rodent droppings, food-infesting insects, cockroaches or water damage).

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Food Handler's Guide for Retail Food Facilities

Environmental Health Programs