How effective food labelling improves safety, efficiency and waste reduction

Ensuring that appropriate and rigorous food safety policies are in place, and that they are followed diligently and consistently by all staff is one of the most important aspects involved in building the success of any restaurant or food and beverage manufacturing operation. Not only is an ongoing commitment to food safety vital to reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses originating from your kitchen and protecting the public health, it is also an essential part of protecting your business and its reputation. Alongside these imperative safety concerns, successful businesses in the food and beverage industry must also operate smartly to improve the efficiency of their day to day operations, maximise the productivity of their staff and reduce waste as far as possible to remain profitable and thriving.

Food safety labels are often discussed primarily in terms of establishing and maintaining safe practices for working with food, and for good reason. Safety should always be the top priority, but intelligently designed food safety labels can also have a real effect on other aspects of your business that can mean the difference between a smooth, efficient working culture and a kitchen which is in confusion and disarray. Food safety labels can contribute significantly to increased staff proficiency and capability as well as reducing wastage of ingredients and prepared food that stems from the desired systems being poorly communicated or not quickly understood in a high-pressure environment.

The ‘First In, First Out’ (FIFO) approach to stock rotation is well-recognised as the cornerstone of any policy intended to improve food safety, foster efficient working and reduce waste. Effective labelling is vital to achieving and consistently maintaining best practice in FIFO rotation and all the benefits it delivers when it is done right. Effective labelling takes the guesswork and uncertainty out of stock rotation by delivering all the key information at a glance and allowing staff to quickly and effortlessly keep the system working as it should, instantly identifying and using up the items with the shortest remaining life first. This makes short work of managing risks such as food poisoning and other illnesses that arise when the age of food items is unknown or unclear and also reduces the financial and environmental impact of having to throw away food which has been allowed to sit unused while more recent packages have been selected.

There may well be variations in the specific details of the First In, First Out stock rotation system which works best for you and your business, and there are a wide range of Fildes Food Safety labels available to suit your individual needs. The range includes options such as bold, easy to read colour coded labels to quickly communicate days of the week, months or a number-based system. Similar labels might also provide additional information such as days of the week in a language other than English to suit the needs of a diverse workforce, a specific ‘use by’ instruction or a space to enter any further key information such as a discard date for prepped food.

Where even more detailed information is required, Fildes Food Safety labels remain clear and easy to follow, allowing staff to make the right decisions quickly and act accordingly. Labels can be used to communicate key information including shelf-life, preparation date and the subsequent use by date, as well as the names of the employees and managers involved. A number of these more detailed labels also follow a clear colour coding system or are designed to be used in conjunction with the bolder day/week labels to achieve a balance of including all the required detail and making this information prominent, which is vital for decision making.

Regardless of the finer points involved in the particular version of stock rotation that operates most effectively for you, our friendly team can work with you to select the most appropriate Fildes Food Safety labels and ensure your policies are always communicated clearly and applied consistently. Contact us to find out how we can help you.