Food Safety Guru - Digital Food Safety System

Food Labelling in the Kitchen

by | Oct 30, 2023

Tip of the Week

Foods with a USE BY day within 3 days – Use Coloured Day Dots.  The coloured dot is the USE BY day.

Foods with a USE BY day longer than 3 days – use a HACCP label

An Allergen label is useful to use to label foods cooked and stored on site

Manufactured Packaged Foods

  • All packaged foods are labelled with the manufacturer’s best before or use by dates. Whilst the food remains unopened, adhere to the manufacturer’s date.
  • Once a pack is opened, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines which will state “Use within xx days of opening”. Some foods have a shelf life of 3 days (processed ham/smoked salmon, etc.) – use a Coloured Day Dot.  But some foods have a longer shelf life of up to 28 days (bottled sauces, chocolate, jam, etc.) – use a HACCP label.

Fresh Foods Prepared on Site

  • Fresh foods prepared or cooked on site have a 3 day shelf life. For example, you cook a lasagna on Monday so use a Day Dot for Wednesday – 3 days including day of cooking.
  • Label with a Coloured Day Dot

Foods Cooked and Frozen on Site

  • Homecooked foods frozen on site need to be labelled using a HACCP label (or Allergen label) giving a 3 month date life
  • Information on the label should include:– Product description, date of freezing and use by date

Alert

Shelf life less than 3 days – use a Coloured Day Dot.  Shelf life over 3 days – use a HACCP label or Allergen label

Weekly Food Fact

Pumpkins are plentiful at the moment. Did you know that pumpkins are technically a fruit as they contain seeds (about 500). They are packed with vitamin K, C E potassium, iron, folate and niacin.