Statement of Purpose
The frozen food industry is committed to providing consumers safe, wholesome, high quality food products. Proper handling and storage of frozen foods throughout distribution are essential to maintaining food safety and quality. The following recommended practices for the handling and merchandising of pre-packaged frozen foods have been developed by the trade associations to guide the industry – throughout the food chain – and assist consumers in proper product handling and storage. They reflect the extensive scientific, technical and practical experience of the industry’s experts, and are designed to help maintain the quality of frozen foods.
Generally speaking, pathogenic organisms will not grow in frozen foods maintained at recommended temperatures. Because the recommended handling practices are intended to focus strictly on maintaining high product quality product distribution and storage, this document does not incorporate food safety systems such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) programs and other programs that are relied upon by food processors in manufacturing safe foods. Information about the use of HACCP and other food safety systems may be obtained by contacting any of the endorsing organizations.
These recommended practices supersede the 1999 edition published by the Frozen Food Roundtable. It reflects extensive research, new technologies, new product development, more recent experience, and changes in government regulation, as well as encompassing advances made in frozen food handling and merchandising.
The following factors must be included in any plan for producing quality frozen foods: High intrinsic quality of raw materials used in the product. Correct processing and packaging of the product.
Rotation of inventory throughout the "Cold Chain," utilizing FIFO ("First In - First Out").
Maintenance of uniform, sufficiently cold temperatures; maintaining 0°F (-18°C). (Some products such as ice cream and frozen snacks, require temperatures of -10°F (-23°C) or colder. (Product-specific temperature information may be obtained from organizations which specialize in that commodity.)
The trade associations that have developed these recommended practices, leaders in the large and evolving frozen food industry, have done so to promote the dissemination of sound, up-to-date practices for the care and handling of frozen foods. The recommended practices are intended as guidelines, not standards or requirements. Every company must determine which practices are most effective and appropriate for the products that it manufactures and/or distributes. The recommended practices are not intended as and should not substitute for legal advice. Companies should consult their own legal counsel to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The organizations that have developed these voluntary guidelines do not warrant that they will ensure that the products their members manufacture and/or distribute are safe, wholesome, or correctly labeled, and they expressly disclaim any such warranties.
The quality of frozen foods in the consumer’s kitchen is dependent on the product’s handling by each and every person who is part of the distribution chain. Each individual should be familiar with the various aspects of frozen food handling and consider the guidelines set forth in this document. Maintenance of food safety and quality requires understanding the need for proper product handling.
I. FROZEN FOOD FREEZING AND PACKAGING
a. Foods for Freezing
1. Quick freezing does not improve original quality, hence, only sound and wholesome raw materials at an optimum level of maturity and freshness should be frozen.
2. Freezing should be performed with appropriate equipment in such a way as to minimize physical and biochemical changes. With most products this is best achieved by ensuring that the product passes through the temperature range of maximum crystallization [for most products +30°F to +23°F (-1°C to -5°C)] quickly.
3. On exit from the freezing apparatus, the product should be minimally exposed to humidity and warm temperatures, be moved into a cold warehouse as quickly as practical and then allowed an adequate dwell time for temperature equilibration.
4. Product should leave the warehouse at 0°F (-18°C) or lower promptly, and retain that temperature upon reaching the primary warehouse.
b. Packaging and Identification of Frozen Food
1. Packaging and outer cases for frozen foods should be of good quality in order to prevent contamination, ensure the integrity of the product during normal transit and storage and minimize dehydration.
2. Package coding should be adequate for effective identification and to facilitate compliance with the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (the BT Act).
3. Outer case coding is essential to enable proper stock rotation of individual cases. Frozen food processors should apply a readily understandable rotation symbol to every shipping case. An example of such a symbol is illustrated in Appendix A. This can be preprinted on shipping cases, leaving the number to be applied at the moment of packaging, if necessary. It may also be printed on an adhesive label or applied to the case at the moment of packing. Ideally, it should appear on two or three sides of the shipping case and be visible when the cases are stacked on pallets.
4. Phrases such as "Store at 0°F (-18°C) or colder" should appear on outer cases.
5. Lot, pallet or unit load identity is useful in enabling such loads to be properly rotated while the identity of the load is maintained. Pallets with mixed production codes should be marked accordingly.
II. PRIMARY COLD STORAGE
a. Cold Storage Facility Equipment
1. Each warehouse should be of adequate capacity and be equipped with suitable mechanical refrigeration to provide for, under anticipated conditions of outside temperature and peak loading, maintaining a reasonably steady air temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or colder, in all cold storage areas in which frozen foods are stored.
2. Each storage area should be equipped with two or more accurate and calibrated temperature measuring devices and at least one continuous recording device, installed to reflect the correct average air temperature. Temperatures of each area should be recorded and dated each day. A file of such temperatures should be maintained for a period of at least two years. A member of management should review the continuous recording record within one business day of its completion to ensure proper temperatures have been maintained at all times.
3. It is recommended that refrigeration equipment installations include an audible or visual alarm system that will activate when refrigeration failure occurs. This alarm mechanism enhances rapid response to frozen food exposure to adverse storage temperature. Telephone, email, text messaging or other appropriate communication systems should be used to immediately notify responsible parties if temperature deviations occur outside of normal business operating hours (e.g., nights, weekends, and holidays.)
b. Cold Storage Facility Handling Procedures
1. The warehouse operator should record the product temperature of each lot of frozen food received and should accept custody only in accordance with good commercial practice. See Appendices B and D for information on types of thermometers and methods for measuring temperatures of product. The operator should retain lot arrival temperature records for a period of at least one year.
2. During receipt or storage, if frozen food product temperatures are found to be +10°F (-12°C) or warmer, and/or product cases are damaged or badly soiled, the warehouseman should immediately notify the owner or consignee and request instructions for special handling. Corrective action procedures could include rejecting the shipment or applying temperature recovery procedures that may consist of any available method for effectively lowering temperatures, such as blast freezing, placing product in low temperature areas with air circulation, and proper use of dunnage or separators in stacking.
3. Before a shipment of frozen food is accepted for storage, it should be code marked for effective identification.
4. Frozen food should be promptly moved through non-refrigerated loading and unloading areas to minimize exposure to humidity, elevated temperatures or other adverse conditions.
5. During defrosting cycles, product should be effectively covered or removed from beneath areas of accumulated frost. This should be conducted in a manner that does not raise the temperature of the product.
6. Frozen foods going into separate staging areas for order assembly should be moved out promptly unless the staging area is maintained at a reasonably uniform temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or colder.
7. As many operations as practical (casing, palletizing, etc.) should be carried out in cold storage area or refrigerated processing room to reduce the heat gain and associated quality deterioration, energy and dollar losses resulting from the exposure of frozen product to ambient temperatures.
8. To permit air circulation, sufficient space must be allowed between stacks and walls. If slipsheets are employed, the bottom unit load should be spaced from the floor of the cold warehouse by a pallet or other means.
9. Delivery vehicles should be sealed. If the seals are numbered, those numbers should match any seal numbers recorded on the Bill of Lading (BOL) or other delivery documents.
10. Facilities should have a written protocol to deal with maintenance of proper temperatures in the event of an electrical power outage.
III. TRANSPORTATION
1. The cargo areas of all vehicles used to transport frozen food, e.g., trucks, trailers or containers, railcars, ships and aircrafts, should be:
a) clean and free from dirt, debris, odors, or any substances that could contaminate the food;
b) constructed, insulated and equipped with adequate refrigeration capacity and air delivery system to continuously maintain product temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or colder. Refer to Refrigerated Transportation Foundation (RTF) Classification System guidelines and the American Trucking Association’s (ATA) Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) Recommended Practices Manual RP 717A and 718a guidelines referenced in Appendix E for suggested equipment requirements;
c) equipped with tight fitting doors and suitable closures for drain holes to prevent air leakage;
d) pre-cooled to 0°F prior to loading. The object of pre-cooling is to establish a gradient across the insulation: from 0°F (-18°C) on the inner surface to the temperature of the outer skin.
e) equipped with an appropriate temperature monitoring device, a temperature recorder, and where appropriate time/temperature indicators to accurately measure the air temperature inside the cargo area of the vehicle. The dial or reading element of the device should be mounted in a readily visible location that can be conveniently read from outside the cargo area.
2. The thermostat on the vehicle's refrigeration unit should be set to maintain a return air temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or colder.
3. Proper airflow or air circulation must be maintained on all six sides of the load. This 0°F (-18°C), or colder, envelope around and through the load is a function of the vehicle's air delivery system and proper loading of vehicle. Refer to RTF and TMC guidelines in Appendix E.
4. Shipper, consignor or warehouseman should not tender to a carrier any container which has been damaged or defaced to the extent that the frozen product is in unsalable condition.
5. Carrier should have a written procedure/protocol to follow in the event of a loss of refrigeration during transport. See Appendix F for recommendations.
IV. RETAIL STORAGE AND HANDLING
a. Storage on Retail Premises
1. Frozen food storage facilities should maintain a steady product temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or colder. In addition, they should be of sufficient size to provide for proper inventory control, stock rotation and circulation of air around the frozen foods.
2. Frozen food storage facilities should have sufficient circulation of refrigerated air. Cases of frozen foods should be on a pallet or other means of providing adequate air circulation between the bottom case and the floor. To permit air circulation, sufficient space should be allowed between stacks and walls.
3. Frozen food storage facilities should be equipped with an adequate number of accurate and calibrated thermometer(s) (accurate to ±2°F) and temperature recording devices, which are easily read and situated to measure and record representative air temperatures. Glass thermometers should not be used.
4. Frozen food storage facilities should be defrosted, cleaned and free of dirt and debris, as necessary, to maintain refrigeration efficiency and to reduce the possibility of food contaminants.
5. It is recommended that new refrigeration equipment installation include an audible or visual alarm system that will activate when refrigeration failure occurs. This alarm mechanism enhances rapid response to frozen food exposure to adverse storage temperature. Telephone, email, text messaging or other appropriate communication systems should be used to immediately notify responsible parties if temperature deviations occur outside of normal business operating hours (e.g., nights, weekends, and holidays.)
b. Retail Display Equipment
1. Display cases should be capable of maintaining a product temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or colder except during defrost cycles and brief periods of loading. Technical specifications for display cases are available from equipment manufacturers.
2. Display cases should be located away from drafts, direct sun, and heat producing equipment or any other factor (i.e., humidity) likely to reduce their performance.
3. Display cases should be equipped with an accurate and calibrated numerically scaled indicating thermometer (accurate to ±2°F). Thermometer should be located in one or more places so as to register the representative air temperature of the unit. The thermometer scale should be located where it can be easily read.
4. The display case should have a properly marked load limit line located on the cabinet wall.
5. In order to provide air circulation, display cases should be provided with a sufficient number of dividers, separators and grids. 6. The display case should be defrosted, cleaned and sanitized when necessary, to assure efficient operation and reduce the possibility of contaminants. It should consistently be kept clean of debris, signs and tags which could restrict or deflect refrigerated air flow, or contaminate product.
7. Air outside the display case should not exceed 75°F and 55% R.H.
8. The display case should be emptied and cleaned/sanitized at least once each quarter according to an established written standard sanitation operating procedure. Records of this activity should be maintained.
9. It is recommended that new refrigeration equipment installations include an audible or visual alarm system that will activate when refrigeration failure occurs. This alarm mechanism enhances rapid response to frozen food exposure to adverse storage temperature. Telephone, email, text messaging or other appropriate communication systems should be used to notify responsible parties if temperature deviations occur outside of normal business operating hours (e.g., nights, weekends, and holidays.
c. Retailer Handling Practices
1. Frozen food should be delivered in a frozen condition, preferably at 0°F (-18°C) or colder. Frozen food which is warmer than +10°F (-12°C) should be rejected by the department or store manager or, if accepted, examined for acceptable quality prior to being offered for sale. See Appendix D for recommended method of measuring temperature.
2. Once unloaded, frozen food should be moved immediately into cold storage or into the retail display case. This is essential to avoid delays which allow frozen food to be subjected to ambient temperatures that may raise the temperature of the product, before stocking into cold storage or display case.
3. Rotate inventory on a "first-in - first-out" (FIFO) basis. Any cases not bearing rotation coding instructions should be dated on receipt.
4. When loading frozen food into the display cabinet, proper inventory rotations should be followed. New products should be placed below the existing stock or at the back, in the case of vertical display shelves.
5. Frozen food should not be placed outside the designated load limit line. Care should be taken not to block air flow.
6. Frozen food display cabinets are designed only to maintain the temperature of already frozen food. Non-frozen food should not be placed in a display cabinet containing frozen food.
7. Retailers should determine manufacturers' recommendations for correct management of frozen food display cases in the event of electrical power failure of any degree. Store personnel should be aware of maintenance requirements, sanitation procedures and emergency actions in the event of equipment failure or product loss. See Appendix F for recommendations.
8. If case dividers are used, they should have sufficient holes or slots to allow air to flow freely throughout the case.
9. The thawing of frozen foods for sale at refrigerator temperature should only be done in a refrigerator at a temperature not warmer than 41°F (5°C).
V. FOODSERVICE STORAGE AND HANDLING
a. Product Receipt and Storage in Foodservice Installations
1. Sufficient and conveniently located storage facilities capable of maintaining all frozen foods at a reasonably uniform product temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or colder, should be provided. These facilities should be of sufficient size to permit proper storage, including stock rotation and inventory control.
2. Product temperatures should be measured upon receipt. Refer to Appendix D for method. Frozen food that is warmer than +10°F (-12°C) should be rejected by the receiving department or store manager or, if accepted, examined for acceptable quality prior to being offered for sale. See Appendix D for recommended method of measuring temperature.
3. On receipt, promptly move all frozen foods to storage at 0°F (-18°C) or colder.
4. It is recommended that frozen food storage facilities include an audible or visual alarm system that will activate when refrigeration failure occurs. This alarm mechanism improves response time when frozen food is exposed to adverse storage temperature. Telephone, email, text messaging or other appropriate communication systems should be used to notify responsible parties if temperature deviations occur outside of normal business operating hours (e.g., nights, weekends, and holidays.)
5. Rotate inventory on a "first-in / first-out" (FIFO) basis. Any cases not bearing rotation coding instructions should be dated on receipt and the supplier notified to prevent future occurrences.
6. Frozen food storage facilities should have sufficient circulation of refrigerated air. Cases of frozen food should be stored off of the floor by a pallet or other means. To permit air circulation, sufficient space should be allowed between stacks and walls.
7. All frozen food storage facilities should be equipped with an accurate and calibrated numerically scaled indicating and/or recording thermometer accurate to within ±2°F. The sensing element should be located where it will measure the air temperature in the warmest part of each facility. The scale should be easily readable. Foodservice personnel should check thermometer readings frequently.
8. All foods should be well wrapped or sealed before placing them in storage.
9. Frozen food storage facilities should be defrosted, cleaned and free of dirt and debris, as necessary, to maintain refrigeration efficiency and to reduce the possibility of food contamination. Product should be protected during defrosting from melting ice. If necessary, contents should be removed to another freezer during defrosting.
10. Minimize the introduction of warm humid air into the freezer by limiting the number of times the freezer is opened.
11. There should be a written protocol describing the measures to be taken in the event of product temperature exceeding critical limits.
12. Facilities should have written protocols to deal with maintaining temperature in the event of an electrical power failure.
b. Frozen Food Handling in Foodservice Installations
1. Remove from freezer storage only the amount of food required for immediate use.
2. Frozen foods should be thawed only: according to manufacturer’s instructions; in a refrigerator at a temperature not warmer than 41°F (5°C); under potable quality running water at a temperature not warmer than +70°F (+21°C) [Refer to Food Code 3-501.13 B (3) and (4) for thawing time specifications. For potable quality water standards see U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Drinking Water Standards at www.epa.gov/safewater/index.html]; or in a microwave oven or in conventional cooking equipment, in which case the thawing and cooking process should be continuous:
3. Thawed products should be promptly prepared for service or placed in refrigerated storage at less than 41°F.
