Value Added Chicken Safe Handling Ensuring product quality and safety begins the moment our product arrives. Always keep the following in mind when handling our Value Added Chicken products. Receiving—To ensure quality and shelf life, product temperature should be checked upon arrival. (For information on how to use a thermometer properly, click here.) Frozen Products—Receive frozen products at 0°F or lower. Transfer frozen product to freezer immediately upon arrival. Do not accept product that arrives with large ice crystals on the product or package. Ice crystals indicate that the items have been thawed and re-frozen. Do not accept packages where there are fluids or frozen liquids at the bottom of the case, or water stains on packaging because these signs indicate temperature abuse. Fresh Products—Receive refrigerated products at 41°F or lower. Insert the thermometer stem or probe between two packages while being careful not to puncture them. Make sure there is product-to-product contact around the probe, and hold until a stable reading occurs. Product should be received and stored immediately upon arrival in the cooler at 41°F or below. For information on how to read the product label, click here.   Storing—When storing refrigerated product, remember to monitor food temperature regularly and avoid overloading the refrigerator. Frozen Products—Frozen products should be stored at 0°F or below. Freezer storage is designed to hold foods at 0°F or below. Freezing does not kill all microorganisms, but it does substantially slow their growth. When storing frozen chicken, remember to check unit and food temperatures regularly. Rotate frozen chicken using the FIFO (first in, first out) method. Regularly check product that may be damaged by lengthy freezing. Never refreeze thawed chicken until it has been thoroughly cooked. Keep the unit closed as much as possible, and defrost freezers regularly. Move product to another freezer while defrosting. Fresh Products—Refrigerated storage is used for short-term holding of poultry at internal temperatures of 41°F or lower. Refrigerated poultry should be stored at 41°F or below. When the temperature rises above 41°F, you're in the temperature danger zone.   Shelf Life Frozen Products—Our frozen products have a 365-day shelf life. Once frozen ready-to-eat poultry products are thawed, they should be consumed within twenty-four hours of thawing. If not, they should be discarded immediately. Fresh Products—Storing refrigerated products at 38°F or below will ensure maximum shelf life. Our fresh, fully cooked products offer a 90 day shelf life from date of pack. Please ask a customer service representative about specific shelf life information for your product.

Summary of Safe Handling Instructions >