What should be done with expired food found during inventory checks?

When expired food is discovered during inventory checks, it is essential to remove and discard it appropriately. This practice is crucial for maintaining food safety standards and ensuring that consumers are not at risk of consuming products that may be spoiled or harmful. Regulations and guidelines dictate that expired food should not be consumed or served, as it could lead to foodborne illnesses or other health issues.

Discarding expired food prevents any potential hazards in the kitchen or service area and helps maintain an environment of safety and hygiene. Proper disposal also ensures that inventory is up-to-date and that only safe and quality food products are available for use in food preparation and service.

While other options may seem feasible, they do not align with safe food handling practices. For instance, storing expired food for future use poses health risks, as it may lead to serving unsafe food to customers. Donating expired food is also problematic since charitable organizations typically require food items to be within their expiration dates to ensure safety for recipients. Reporting expired food to management without taking action doesn't address the immediate need to remove unsafe items from inventory.