Centralized kitchens play a crucial role in preparing and distributing food to healthcare institutions and childcare settings. Ensuring the highest standards of food safety in these environments is important to protect the health and well-being of these individuals. Toronto Public Health recommends that centralized kitchens adopt the following food safety processes and practices:
Approved food sources
- All foods must be from approved and inspected sources.
- Keep invoices and receipts.
- Inspect food deliveries for proper labels, temperature and signs of contamination such as:
- Damaged packaging
- Swollen or dented cans
- Pest activity
Monitor and record
- Use record logs to document and monitor temperatures for:
- Refrigerators
- Freezers
- Hot holding units
- Cooking and delivery temperatures
Transportation and delivery
- Package food securely to prevent cross-contamination.
- Plan and organize transportation routes to minimize delivery time.
- Deliver foods using equipment with thermometers that indicates and maintains the proper temperature.
- Deliver directly to your customers and clients. Food should not be left unattended.
- Verify temperatures of hazardous foods at the time of delivery.
- Have a corrective action plan with customers and clients in the event there is a temperature control or cross-contamination issue.
Work with Toronto Public Health
