Tips for Meal Kit and Food Delivery Safety

Food shipped to your home needs to stay at a safe temperature to prevent the growth of germs that could make you sick. This includes mail-order food and subscription meal kits.

Before Ordering Food for Delivery, ask questions first. Research companies and call customer service to ask about their food safety practices, and ask how the company responds if food is delivered at an unsafe temperature or is otherwise not safe to eat. Find out if the company provides information with each shipment or delivery on safe handling and preparation of food, including cooking temperatures.

Safe Food Delivery and Receipt

  • Arrange for delivery when someone is at home so perishable foods such as meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, or dairy can be quickly stored in the refrigerator or freezer instead of being left outside until someone is home.If you can’t be there in person, see if a neighbor can store the food until you return.
  • Find a safe space for delivery if no one can be at home when the food arrivesFood should be delivered to a cool, shaded, and secure location where pests and rodents won’t be able to get it. Let the company know where you would like them to leave your box.

Examine the items and packaging to ensure they are intact.

  • Make sure the company used insulated packaging and materials such as dry ice or frozen gel packs to keep perishable food cold in transit.
  • Look for labels that say “Keep Refrigerated” or “Keep Frozen” if you ordered perishable food.

Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of perishable food when it arrives.

  • Perishable food that has been shipped should arrive frozen, partially frozen with ice crystals still visible, or at least as cold as it would be in a refrigerator (40°F or below). Even if a perishable food product is smoked, cured, vacuum-packed, or fully cooked, it still must be kept cold.

Notify the company if food arrives above 40°F. If food arrives above 40°F, don’t eat it, or even taste it, to see if it is safe. Food can be unsafe and still taste, look, and smell OK. When in doubt, throw it out.

Local Grocery Deliveries

Milk, meat, cut fruit, and other perishable foods delivered from a local store or farm also need to stay at a safe temperature. Hot food should arrive hot, and cold food should arrive cold. Food should not be kept at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the outside temperature is 90°F or warmer. During delivery, hot and cold foods should be kept separate from each other.

Before Ordering Food from a Local Grocery Store for Delivery ask questions first. Check the grocery store or delivery service website or call them to learn what they are doing to keep food safe before and during deliveries.

Be aware of delivery times. If your delivery includes perishable food, be aware of how long it is kept out at room temperature. Perishable food that has been sitting out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it’s 90°F or warmer outside can make you sick. Germs that cause food poisoning multiply quickly when food is in the “danger zone” between 40°F and 140°F.

Local Restaurant Deliveries

Check inspection scores. Check a restaurant’s inspection report at your health department’s website or ask the health department for a copy of the report.

Be aware of delivery times. Cooked meals can make you sick if they sit out for more than 2 hours, or as little as 1 hour if it’s 90°F or warmer outside. Delivered restaurant meals should be eaten right away or refrigerated if they contain a cooked or cold product, such as a salad of fresh cut fruit or a grain and vegetable bowl with grilled chicken.

If you have leftovers or are saving a hot food delivery for another day, refrigerate within 2 hoursMake sure you know how long your leftovers will keep in the fridge or freezer external icon.

Safe Food Handling at Home

Wash your hands and kitchen utensils with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before, during, and after handling any food and before eating. Wash your utensils, cutting boards, and countertops with hot, soapy water after using them.

Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water.

Separate foods to avoid cross-contamination keep raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs away from other foods. Use separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils for these ingredients.

Use a food thermometer to ensure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature.

Report a Foodborne Illness

If you think food delivered to your home has made someone sick, please contact your local health department to report the illness. Give them information about the order and what symptoms you are experiencing. Ask to speak with the environmental health specialist, or sanitarian, about a possible food problem. Refer to your to find more information about how to contact your local health department.

RCL Safety Centre Food Safety Division provides the best food safety and quality consulting, auditing, and training services. A full-service, international food safety consulting leader, we help organizations manage food safety-related risks, and exceed regulatory and certification requirements—while protecting your brand. We offer affordable turnkey and customized food safety solutions for organizations of all sizes.

For more information about our services, visit our website @ www.safetycentre.ng

For inquiries about our safety training courses, visit our website@ www.foodsafety.org.ng

Or contact us at lois@safetycentre.ng

08099700070, 08099600070

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