S.T.R.E.T.C.H.
(Safety, Training, Resources, and Education to Combat Hunger)
Food Safety Information Sheet No. 1
Transportation and Distribution
Keep It Clean!
Transporting food in a dirty truck or van can lead to contaminated food, or the
spread of filth or pests into your facility. Avoid these problems by:
- promptly wiping up spills
- sweeping out the truck or van before and after each use
- washing the truck or van regularly
To be sure that these tasks are done regularly, keep a record!
Keep It Cold Or Hot!
Microorganisms that cause food poisoning or speed food spoilage grow rapidly in
the "Danger Zone" between 40 and 140°F. Make sure to keep perishable foods at
the proper temperature during transport to ensure safety and quality. Use a thermometer
to check that the food stays at a safe temperature.
- cold foods below 40°F
- hot foods above 140°F (check with your State Health Department for the temperature
regulations in your area as this can vary from state to state)
- frozen foods solidly frozen
Depending on the length of your trip and the outside temperature, you will need
to consider different options for keeping food at the right temperature. Here are
some possibilities:
To Keep Food Cold
- refrigerated truck or van
- ice chests
- Styrofoam coolers
- dry ice
To Keep Food Hot
- ice chests
- Styrofoam coolers
- aluminum foil-wrapped containers
- newspaper-wrapped containers
Your local health department or Cooperative Extension Office can help you determine
the best procedure for your set of circumstances.
Keep It Safe!
Detergents, polishes, cleaning agents, insect and rodent repellents, and other chemicals
are poisonous to people. Make sure these compounds can't spill or leak onto food
by keeping chemicals separate from food. Remember:
- transport chemicals in containers which are used only for this purpose
- keep food well away from chemicals
- if you stack items to transport, put containers with chemicals on the floor and
containers with food above.
Keep It Apart!
Ready-to-eat foods can become contaminated with food poisoning organisms if they
come in contact with raw foods -- like meat or eggs. For instance, people have gotten
sick from eating cantaloupe that was stored underneath raw meat. Some juice from
the meat dripped on the cantaloupe and the bacteria in the meat juice caused food
poisoning. To avoid potential cross-contamination:
- transport raw and ready-to-eat foods in appropriate food-grade containers
- always keep ready-to-eat foods above raw foods to avoid contamination from drips
- thoroughly clean and sanitize containers used for raw foods before using for ready-
to-eat foods.