Dry-Store Safety

Why you need it

Flour, rice, tins and other ambient food can still be spoiled by damp, pests, damaged packs or chemicals stored too close. Food left on the floor is harder to clean around and easier for pests to reach.

Food hygiene law requires food to be protected from contamination, and a tidy, well-kept store helps you show that at an inspection.

What it’s for

Four steps for a safe dry store: clean shelving off the floor, closing opened packs in lidded containers, keeping chemicals and personal belongings apart, and checking for damp, pests and damaged stock. It belongs on the dry-store door or wall.

How to use it

1. Fix it on the inside of the dry-store door so staff see it each time they go in.
2. Decant opened packs into lidded food containers and keep the name, dates and ingredient details with them.
3. Keep cleaning chemicals, coats and bags out of the store altogether.
4. If you find damp, droppings or damaged packs, isolate the stock and report it straight away.
5. Include the dry store in your cleaning schedule and stock rotation checks.