Introduction
The proper storage of food is essential for preventing the spoilage of food and prolonging the food’s viability. Proper rotation of food is one of the ways of effective storage. It entails utilizing the First-In-First-Out (or FIFO) strategy to avoid the spoiling of food elements. In this plan, foods that were put first into a refrigerator, a freezer, or other dry storage systems should be taken out and consumed first (Ceryes et al., 2021). It allows the cooks to utilize the items stored a long time ago before those stored recently. Optimal rotation of foods ensures the usage of foods before they are spoiled or contaminated, hence rendering them unfit for human consumption. Therefore, this paper will focus on the benefits of proper rotation and the consequences of effectively rotating foods, including its health implications.
Several conditions need to be considered during the rotation of foods. First, it is imperative to check the expiration dates. Those produced with the earliest expiry dates must be put in front of those items with later expiration dates. Furthermore, the items nearing their expiration dates stored at the front of the shelf should be used first (Ceryes et al., 2021). Second, it is important to check for foods with shorter durability continuously. Perishable goods must be eaten first to avoid spoilage. Third, the food handlers need to label the duration of the viability of food items. Posters and notices such as “best before” or “use by” on the refrigerators promote their consumption before spoiling. Moreover, movable racks are useful for moving food items in and out of the storage compartment. Proper rotation of foods is key in enhancing their integrity.
Additionally, the proper rotation of food depends on the ideal handling and storage. There is a need to continually inspect food shelves for damages or deterioration in their quality for the early removal of spoilt items. The temperatures of the refrigerators need to be checked daily to ensure that they were within the recommended limits. Foods that were stored in non-ideal temperatures should be discarded to prevent food poisoning. According to Hassan (2020), frozen foods must be stored at maximum temperatures of 00 F, while refrigerated foods must remain below temperatures of 410F. Raw produce and ready-to-eat foods should be separated to prevent cross-contamination. Moreover, foods that are past their expiry dates should be thrown away. Maintenance of proper food handling protocols by everyone enhances the success of the storage and rotation goals.
Downsides of Improper Rotations
Poor rotations of foods have numerous effects on the quality of the items. First, the improper rotation of foods results in the wastage of the organization’s resources. Foods will stay for longer periods without being consumed, leading to their expiry. This will ultimately end in their discarding, which is an unintelligent use of resources (Hassan, 2020). Second, the poor rotation of foods will result in the deterioration of their nutritional value. Some types of foods, including fruits and vegetables, need to be utilized first when still fresh and viable. A suboptimal rotation system will make them be stored for a prolonged time, leading to reduced vitamin constitution for maximal nutritional returns to the body. The taste and outlook of the food elements will also change with poor rotation and storage (Ceryes et al., 2021). Finally, another consequence of the poor rotation of items is its uneconomical nature. Throwing away food when they spoil may cause significant losses to the owners who invested a lot in acquiring the products. Therefore, optimal rotation of foods is essential to reduce wastage and deterioration of their value.
Health Implications from Poor Rotation of Foods
Poor handling of foods may result in contamination which may result in foodborne illnesses to individuals. Certain microorganisms such as viruses, parasites, bacteria, and fungi transmit harmful toxins to food necessary for causing illnesses. An example of a foodborne illness is botulism disease which is caused by Clostridium botulinum toxins. These poisonous materials are often spread from improper storage of the home-canned and fermented foods, which provides for the growth of spore causative of this illness (Marder Mph et al., 2018). The spores attack the body’s nervous system, resulting in muscle paralysis responsible for difficulty in breathing and even death. The treatment of this disease involves using an antitoxin medication and further supportive therapy to improve the gaseous exchange of the patients by using ventilators and oxygen supplementation.
Another foodborne disease secondary to poor rotation and storage is food poisoning. This condition presents with stomach pains and severe diarrhea in the infected individuals. The etiologic agents implicated in this illness include staphylococcus aureus, salmonella, and vibrio bacteria. These pathogenic organisms find their way through contaminated foods due to improper preparation, storage, and rotation. The treatment modalities involve using the appropriate antibiotics to eliminate the responsible organism. Additional measures are instituted to reduce the complications that may accompany diarrhea, including dehydration (Marder Mph et al., 2018). Management options incorporate correcting fluid and electrolyte imbalances. Therefore, the proper storage and rotation of foods are instrumental for preventing spoilt items’ health and socioeconomic impacts.
References
Ceryes, C. A., Antonacci, C. C., Harvey, S. A., Spiker, M. L., Bickers, A., & Neff, R. A. (2021). “Maybe it’s still good?” A qualitative study of factors influencing food waste and application of the EPA Food recovery hierarchy in US supermarkets. Appetite, 161. Web.
Hassan, M. (2020). Evaluation hotel practices toward proper food and beverage storage. Journal of Association of Arab Universities for Tourism and Hospitality, 19(3), 251-268. Web.
Marder Mph, E. P., Griffin, P. M., Cieslak, P. R., Dunn, J., Hurd, S., Jervis, R., Lathrop, S., Muse, A., Ryan, P., Smith, K., Tobin-D’Angelo, M., Vugia, D. J., Holt, K. G., Wolpert, B. J., Tauxe, R., & Geissler, A. L. (2018). Preliminary incidence and trends of infections with pathogens transmitted commonly through food – foodborne diseases active surveillance network, 10 U.S. Sites, 2006-2017. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 67(11), 324–328. Web.