RTE in vacuum seal pouches

Storage and Distribution of Ready to Eat (RTE) without further processing of snack foods such as vacuum pack beef, sausage, and other smoke meat foods.

 I am looking for proper hygiene practices for storage, or any food safety concern I should be address in our FS plans - if required.  What I had read so far that vacuum pack RTE is shelf stable, so doesn’t pose a risk in storage until packaging has been open by consumer.

Thanks

David

Storage and Distribution of Ready to Eat (RTE) without further processing of snack foods such as vacuum pack beef, sausage, and other smoke meat foods.

 

 I am looking for proper hygiene practices for storage, or any food safety concern I should be address in our FS plans - if required.  What I had read so far that vacuum pack RTE is shelf stable, so doesn’t pose a risk in storage until packaging has been open by consumer.

Thanks

David

Hi David,

I assume you mean indefinite,  ambient shelf stable.

Sounds like you have invented a new food category, eg vacuum pack this -

http://preparednessa...e-dry-sausages/

So basic hygiene practices for warehousing packaged shelf stable foods? Simple starting place would be:

• Building must be secure to both pests and unauthorized personnel (my general pest rule is that if I can see sunlight something needs to be done)
• Restrooms need to be separated from the warehouse or be equipped with self closing doors, soap, water, TP, a way to dry hands, and a handwashing sign
• No eating/drinking/storing personal belongings in the warehouse
• Some sort of cleaning implements need to be on site with a procedure on how to handle spills and/or potentially infectious waste (i.e if someone were to hurl in your warehouse know what you would do)
• keep it swept, organized, and make waste obvious and separate from storage

The above tends to be good practice (if implemented thoroughally) and tends to be sufficient for many state-level inspections. Not GFSI standards.

Charles and FurFarmandFork

Thanks for your assistance on this matter.  Also, the link is an excellent source of information that I was looking for.

Thanks again!

David