FIFO Rotation and Date Marking

FIFO means first in, first out: the oldest product is used first, and the date mark tells you which one that is.

Key points:

• Date-mark ready-to-eat TCS food held more than 24 hours in the operation.

• Use 7 days as the maximum, counting the day of preparation as day one.

• Discard food at the end of its date mark, even if it looks fine.

• Rotate stock so older product sits in front, and never let a new delivery get used first.

Managers get these items wrong when they answer from habit instead of from the rule. Read the number, then connect it to the task.

Free practice bank: FoodSafe Prep.

Related: ServSafe Manager practice test.