September is National Food Safety Month!
In our last fiscal year, The Idaho Foodbank distributed over 25 million pounds of food. Have you ever wondered how we keep it all safe for our neighbors to eat? Our robust food safety program encompasses all steps of the food distribution process from receiving, storing, repacking, and shipping. We also hold our partners to the same food safety requirements. This ensures that our neighbors in need we serve receive the same high level of food safety as they would from outside retailers.
Inspections
All incoming food products and packaging materials are visually inspected to ensure products are intact, with no signs of damage, spoilage, or pests. The temperature of perishable products are verified at time of receiving to ensure they do not exceed 41°F.
The Idaho Foodbank ensures all products are adequately labeled to include ingredient statements, which includes any declarations of allergens. This ensures that our neighbors who may have an allergy know whether the food item is safe to consume.
Meat and poultry, when available, are only accepted from processing plants that are regularly inspected by the USDA to ensure food safety.
Transporting Food
All vehicles utilized to transport food items to and from The Foodbank and our food distribution partners are inspected to ensure sanitary conditions are met. Our fleet is also cleaned regularly to promote and provide a sanitary environment to safely transport food.
Donated Foods
All items that are donated from food drives are visually inspected for overall quality and condition to ensure product integrity and food safety requirements are met. If something is damaged or missing the ingredient statement, it is discarded.
Our warehouses have a regular cleaning schedule to ensure good daily housekeeping and sanitary facilities. All warehouses are also equipped with pest control programs to ensure storage areas are free from pests.
The Idaho Foodbank is expected to meet all regulatory requirements of USDA, FDA and local health districts. We are committed to providing safe and healthy food to our neighbors facing food insecurity. We uphold this commitment to food safety in our efforts to build strong and healthy communities through the prevention of foodborne illness.