Warehouse Cleaning And Sanitation Management System: Specifications For Receipt, Storage And Inventory Of Catering Warehouses

Everyone in the catering industry knows that whether warehouse management is done well or not is directly related to the stability of dish production and the level of kitchen costs like a closely connected link.

Whether you are opening a restaurant, operating a canteen, or operating a takeaway shop, the ingredients, seasonings, and semi-finished products stored in the warehouse are all exchanged for real money.

If no one strictly controls the goods when they come in, and no corresponding records are left when the goods go out, and the items are placed randomly, causing the quality of food materials to change, wasting money, and in serious cases, there is a problem with food safety, the losses will be very large.

Today I will talk to you about the practical things in catering warehouse management, how to manage the receiving stage, how to operate the inventory process, how to control sanitation, how to implement anti-insect measures, and how to manage each step specifically.

Check the receipt of goods, and those that are not qualified will not be put into the warehouse.

The first step in warehouse management is not in the warehouse, but at the moment of receiving the goods.

When the ingredients are delivered, you don’t just sign and everything is done, you have to check everything carefully.

The first is whether the quantity is right, and the second is whether the quality is acceptable.

Whether the leaves of fresh vegetables available for consumption are yellow and wilted, whether all types of meat have quarantine certificates obtained through formal procedures, and whether the production date and shelf life marked on packaged foods are clear and complete.

All items that are found to be rotten, moldy, insect-infested, smelly, or not of fresh quality will be rejected.

There are also some situations that require special attention. For example, if the supplier cannot produce a "Food Business License" or relevant qualification certificates, and there is no manufacturer, no production date, and no shelf life on the outer packaging of the food, then it is not allowed to enter the warehouse.

If you do this step well, you will save a lot of trouble later.

Warehouse entry and exit registration, ledger and electronic account must be done

Many bosses in the catering industry find it troublesome to keep accounts, so they just make a few notes at random and then treat it as completed. When they go to take inventory at the end of the month, they find that the accounts are not reconciled, and they realize the problem.

In fact, standardized warehouse entry and exit management is very simple, but you must persist.

When each batch of food raw materials comes in, very clear records need to be kept on the ledger. The recorded content includes the name of the food raw materials, the specifications of the food raw materials, the quantity of the food raw materials, the production date of the food raw materials, the shelf life of the food raw materials, the purchase date of the food raw materials, and the information of the food raw material suppliers.

The same is true when performing out-of-warehouse operations. When is the specific time, how much is the quantity to be collected, which stall is applied, and who is the person handling the goods? All these need to be written clearly.

If possible, it is best to use a spreadsheet or purchase, sale and inventory software to facilitate inquiry and statistics.

The advantage of doing this is that once there is a problem with a certain batch of ingredients, the source can be immediately traced; when an abnormality in the inventory is discovered, the cause of the situation can also be found in a timely manner.

First in, first out to avoid food expiry date

In a warehouse, the most feared situation is that old goods are on the bottom floor and new goods are covered on top. Eventually, the ingredients underneath have expired, but no one can find out.

So you must persist first in first out According to the principle, the ingredients that are put into the warehouse first will be used out of the warehouse first.

When arranging the placement of goods, place new items at the back or inside, and move existing items forward.

Every time you take out the food from the warehouse, take advantage of the situation to check the sensory properties and shelf life of the ingredients to see if there are any signs of deterioration.

When picking up ingredients, the kitchen should also develop a habit of using ingredients that are close to their expiration date first.

Spend some time every day to organize the warehouse, select the food that is about to expire, and place it in a conspicuous place to remind the kitchen to use it first.

The warehouse is hygienic, clean and tidy is the bottom line

Food warehouses are not utility rooms and hygiene standards must be strict.

The ground should be smooth and hardened, with no pits and water accumulation, so that it can be easily cleaned and mopped.

There should be no cracks, peeling or mold on the walls and ceiling.

The warehouse must be dedicated to a dedicated warehouse, and food, cleaning supplies, tableware, and sundries must not be mixed.

Staple food and non-staple food should be stored separately, raw and cooked food should be separated to avoid cross contamination.

All ingredients should be placed across the wall at a certain height from the ground, with at least 10 centimeters between the wall and the ingredients, and at least 15 centimeters from the ground to the ingredients. This will not only prevent moisture, but also facilitate cleaning after finishing the work.

When storing grain, if it is in bulk, as well as dry goods and condiments, they must be placed in sealed containers with lids and labeled. The label must indicate the product name and the date of purchase.

Shelves should be wiped down regularly, floors swept daily, and thoroughly cleaned once a week.

Ventilation, temperature and humidity to create a suitable storage environment

Different ingredients have different requirements for temperature and humidity, but the basic principle is to maintain a dry and ventilated state.

Warehouses should be protected from direct sunlight, and windows can be covered with shading films or curtains.

In summer, when the temperature is high, you need to check whether there are any food items that are prone to deterioration. For example, cooking oil is afraid of high temperatures, flour is afraid of insects, and dry goods are afraid of moisture return.

If possible, you can install a temperature and humidity meter for observation at any time.

Ventilation is very important. Open windows or turn on exhaust fans regularly every day to allow air to circulate.

If the warehouse is relatively humid, you can use a dehumidifier or put some moisture-absorbing boxes.

At regular intervals, check the corners of the walls and the bottom of the shelves, where dirt and evil tend to hide, to avoid the appearance and growth of mold.

To prevent insects and mice, you can’t have any of the four pests.

Food warehouses are most afraid of uninvited guests such as rats, cockroaches, flies, and ants.

Not only do they chew food and contaminate it, but they also spread germs.

Precautionary work must be carried out as early as possible: the door of the storage area should be installed with a board to prevent mice from entering, and its vertical height should not be less than 60 centimeters; the windows and openings for air circulation in the house need to be installed with screens to block mosquitoes, and the mesh of the screens should be fine; the corners of the house and the gaps left by pipes passing through the walls should be blocked tightly with cement or steel wire balls.

Cartons, wooden boards and other debris cannot be stacked in the warehouse to avoid giving pests a place to hide.

Check regularly to see if there are traces of rat droppings, insect eggs, or cockroach corpses. Once problems are discovered, deal with them immediately.

When using sticky ratboards or traps to eliminate rats, do not use rat poison to prevent the poisoned rats from contaminating the food.

Use gel bait to kill cockroaches, but keep it in a hidden place away from food.

Monthly inventory, don’t waste any cost

The monthly bottom point is not just a formality, but a real settlement of accounts.

Make an inventory of all the food, raw materials, and semi-finished products in the warehouse to check the differences between the books and the physical objects.

At the same time, compile a list. This list is about items that are about to expire within the next month. The names of the items must be clearly written, the quantity must be clear, and the specifications must also be noted. The storage date must also be written clearly, and the expiration date must also be marked. Give this list to the kitchen chef.

After getting this list, the kitchen can adjust the menu according to the actual situation and prioritize the use of these upcoming ingredients.

For example, cream that is about to expire can be used to make desserts, and sauce that is about to expire can be used to marinate meat.

This can not only reduce waste, but also save procurement costs.

After completing the inventory, you need to conduct some analysis to analyze which items are in too much quantity to be used up, which items are continuously out of stock, and then make adjustments to the purchasing plan for the next month based on these conditions.

It is not particularly difficult to manage the catering warehouse, nor is it very simple to say that it is simple. The key point is to earnestly implement the above-mentioned items.

When receiving goods, we must strictly control the quality level, record the contents of the ledger in detail, and carry out sanitation and cleaning work every day. We must keep in mind the first-in, first-out principle. We must carefully inventory and calculate the accounts every month. Habits will naturally develop over time.

The warehouse is clean and orderly, the ingredients are fresh and safe, the kitchen seems to be working smoothly, and customers can feel at ease when dining. This is the long-term way for catering operations to follow.