the local high school held a very successful food drive during the friday night football game this...

The local high school held a very successful food drive during the Friday night football game this past weekend. Donated food was stored in the school office over the weekend. The students delivered the collected food to your food pantry on Monday after school.

It is now Tuesday, November 20th. You and a couple of other volunteers have come in today to help sort and shelve the collected food.

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Food Sort for Safety

Food pantry workers need to inspect all donated food before it is placed on the shelf or distributed.

Click on food item to take a closer look and read the clues.

Consider packaging, codes, the type of food and how the food was stored prior to its arrival when making your decision. The calendar and Food Date Code Guide (shown right) can provide helpful hints.

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Food Date Code Guide

✔ Plastic bottle is in good condition

✔ Code date states “Best By MAR 12 2014”

✔ You notice some stickiness around the seal and a reddish material dried on the cap. The foil seal is lifted slightly. Click here to take a closer look

What action should you take?

Clean and tighten the cap before placing product on the shelf.

Evidence of leakage on the cap of the bottle is a hint that the seal has been broken and contents may be contaminated and unsafe to eat.

You should dispose of this item.

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✔ The can has no dents

✔ Code date states “Best By AUG 12 2015”

✔ You read on the label that sugar is one of the ingredients.


This item is safe to eat.

Its packaging is in good condition and the label includes the required ingredient list.


✔ The box is sealed and shows no signs of tampering

✔ There are some recipe ideas on the back

✔ Package code states “Best When Used by OCT 30 2012”. Today is November 20th.


View the Food Date Code Guide

Yes, put these on the shelf.

Product date codes indicate quality, not safety. These crackers will be safe to eat for one year past the date stamped on the product as long as the package and sealed bag inside are intact.


✔ The can has a sharp dent

✔ It looks like there is some bulging on the bottom seal

✔ Code date states “Best By NOV 20 2014


Sharp dents increase the possibility that tiny holes will form in the can. These holes expose contents to outside air that can trigger dangerous food spoilage.

You should throw this damaged product.


✔ Jar is sealed and in good condition

✔ Carrots are the first ingredient listed

✔ Code date states “Use by NOV 10 2012” Today’s date is November 20, 2012



Baby food and formula CANNOT be used past the date stamped on the product.

You made the right choice if you chose to discard this product.


✔ The can and label are in good condition

✔ Code date states “Best By JUL 09 2013”

✔ Tomatoes are an acidic food


You made the right choice if you chose to put this item on the shelf.

Acidic canned goods are safe for 12 to 18 months past the product date stamp. This product has not yet passed its “best by” date and is well within safe limits.


✔ This product is labeled sugar-free

✔ Packaging is in good condition

✔ Code date states “Best Used by JUL 2011” Today’s date is November 20, 2012



Boxed products are good for one year past the product date stamp. This product has exceeded its recommended shelf life, so it should be thrown.


✔ The package is fully sealed and shows no signs of tampering

✔ Code date states “Use By JAN 20 2013”

✔ Packaging states “Keep Refrigerated • Do Not Freeze”


Always question how perishable foods were handled and stored prior to coming to your food pantry.

This product was collected during a food drive at the high school and stored unrefrigerated in the school office. You made the right choice if you chose to throw this item.


✔ This can has a shallow, smooth dent on the left side.

✔ Label is not damaged

✔ The date code states “Best Used by MAY 2014.


Cans that are slightly dented, with no deep, or sharp creases are safe.

You can put this product on the shelf and distribute to your food pantry clients.


✔ The bag is sealed and has no rips or tears

✔ Code date states “Guaranteed Fresh DEC 30 2012

✔ Snack foods are not nutritious and should be avoided.


Remember that your main responsibility is accessing the safety of the food, not it’s nutritional value.

You made the right choice if you chose to put this on the shelf.


✔ The can is in good condition and does not have any dents or bulges

✔ There is a JAN 2013 date stamp on the bottom of the can

✔ Ingredient listing is not visible because the back label is torn and missing.


Click here to take a closer look

This food is safe based on condition of the can and date code. However, it is missing an ingredient listing. Ingredient labeling is required for all food distributed through a food pantry.

You made the right choice if you decided to throw this product.


✔ Code date stamped on the lid states “Best By APR 2015”

✔ The jar has no cracks and the seal in in tact ✔ Clients who come to your food pantry would not

like this food, so it would take up valuable shelf space that could be used for other products


Your main responsibility at this point is assessing the safety of the food, not deciding if people would would choose or not choose this type of food.

This food is safe based on packaging, date code and prior storage considerations. Therefore, the right choice is to put this product on the shelf.


✔ The box is sealed and shows no signs of damage or tampering

✔ Code date states “Best if Used by 6/10/13”

✔ It is a store brand product


A brand name is not a consideration when assessing food safety.

The packaging and date stamp on the product indicate that this food is safe and can be put on the shelf for distribution.


✔ Peanut butter is a popular item at your food pantry

✔ Plastic jar is in good condition

✔ Package code states “ Best if Used by DEC1813 LRI 12:35”


You made the right choice if you chose to put this product on the shelf.

Don’t be confused if there are extra letters and numbers in the package code stamp. Coding, only decipherable by the manufacturer, is sometimes included along with a date stamp.


✔ Code date states “Better if used by 17 JUL 2013”

✔ Whole grain oats is the first ingredient listed on the label

✔ There is some damage to the carton, but the inside bag if still fully sealedClick here to take a closer look


Discard the damaged box and put the sealed inner bag on the shelf

A boxed product is safe if the bag inside the packaging is still sealed and in tact.

Never remove product from its original packaging. Even though the box has some damage, the ingredient label is still readable.


✔ The glass jar is NOT cracked and the safety seal is NOT broken

✔ There is NO date/manufacturer code on the jar or lid

✔ Label states that this product should be refrigerated after opening


Manufacturers are not required to include date codes on their products. If you do not see a date stamp, use your best judgment based on a visual inspection of the product.

In this case, the jar and seal are in good condition.You should chose to put this product on the shelf.

The refrigeration requirement refers to AFTER the product is open, so it does not affect food safety at this time.


✔ There is no date code on the package

✔ People like spaghetti and there aren’t many packages left on the shelf.

✔ The end flap is torn and contents is exposed.


Repackage the contents in a ziplock sealed bag and put on the shelf.

Click here to take a closer look

You made the right decision if you chose to throw it out.It is not acceptable for food pantries to repackage food under

any circumstances. Food should be thrown whenever damage to packaging exposes contents.


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Do you have questions?Please contact the

Great Food Bank if you need help, additional training

or have comments.

(701) 232-6219

greatplainsfoodbank.org

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http://www.greatplainsfoodbank.org/about/contact_us.html

the local high school held a very successful food drive during the friday night football game this...

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