Date Label and Discard Day Verification Walk

Inspection walk for prep coolers and ready-to-eat product to verify every container has a discard day label and remains within shelf life, using a random sample of 25 items.

Inspection Scope and Sample Selection

• Inspection area includes prep coolers and ready-to-eat refrigerated product
  Walk all designated prep coolers, reach-ins, and storage locations holding ready-to-eat product subject to date marking.
• Random sample size completed
  Record the number of items reviewed.
• Sample drawn from multiple containers and locations
  Confirm the 25-item sample was not taken from a single container or shelf only.

Date Label Presence

• Each sampled container has a visible discard day label
  Verify every sampled item has a legible date label showing the discard day or use-by date.
• Label is legible and securely attached
  Labels must be readable and affixed to the container or product in a way that will remain visible during storage.
• Label format matches site SOP
  Confirm the label format used by the site matches the approved date-marking procedure.

Discard Day and Shelf-Life Verification

• Each sampled item is within shelf life
  Confirm the product has not exceeded the discard day and remains within the approved refrigerated shelf-life limit.
• No expired or past-discard-day product found in sample
  Any item past its discard day is a critical non-conformance.
• Date calculation is consistent with opening day and storage policy
  Verify the discard day was calculated correctly from the opening/preparation date and the approved holding period.

Corrective Action and Documentation

• Out-of-date product removed from service immediately
  Any expired or unlabeled ready-to-eat item must be discarded or otherwise removed from service per SOP.
• Root cause documented for any labeling deficiency
  Document why the deficiency occurred, such as missing label, relabeling gap, or incorrect discard-day calculation.
• Corrective action assigned and completed
  Record whether retraining, relabeling, product disposal, or supervisor follow-up was completed.