Commissary FIFO Checklist: Stock, Transfers and Waste
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Commissary FIFO needs both a physical rotation process and an accurate owner-specific stock record. Check food eligibility first, then issue eligible stock in the order required by the operation's procedure.
Before issuing stock
- Confirm the item, owner and lot or batch.
- Review applicable dates and recorded handling status.
- Exclude uncertain or ineligible food through the exception procedure.
- Select the correct eligible lot and record the quantity used.
- Keep labels visible when rearranging the remaining stock.
Record transfers between tenants
If an approved ingredient transfer occurs, record both operators, the product and lot, quantity, unit and date. Reduce one balance and increase the other. Do not let “borrowing” erase traceability or bypass facility permissions and handling controls.
Reconcile stock before reordering
Compare opening inventory plus receipts with production use, transfers, documented waste and closing inventory. Explain adjustments rather than quietly changing the number to match the shelf count.
Review waste by cause and owner
Separate excess purchasing from missed rotation, handling failure and missing information. Repeated unexplained shrinkage may be a recording problem rather than a demand problem. FIFO cannot extend an approved storage limit or establish the safety of stock whose history is uncertain.
Safety and regulatory considerations
A commissary may have multiple operators with different responsibilities. Confirm ownership of cleaning, receiving, production, traceability and corrective-action records in the operating agreement and applicable regulatory procedures. The FDA Food Code is model guidance; applicable laws and institutional policies may differ.
Sources: FDA Food Code 2022.
General information only, not a substitute for qualified clinical, regulatory or food-safety advice.