Labeling

Food labelling is the practice of identifying food products, ingredients, preparation dates, storage conditions and other required information. In a restaurant, internal labels help staff identify prepared foods and manage stock safely. Packaged foods may also require regulated information such as product identity, ingredient lists, allergens, net quantity, supplier details and date marking, depending on the product and jurisdiction.

What an internal kitchen label should include

• Product name: a clear description of the food or preparation.
• Preparation or opening date: the date and, where required, time the food was prepared or opened.
• Use-by or discard date: based on the product’s approved shelf life and food-safety procedure.
• Staff identification: initials or another identifier when required by the operation.
• Storage instructions: refrigeration, freezing or other required conditions where useful.
• Allergen information: ingredient and cross-contact information where the operation’s procedure requires it.

Example of a prepared-food label

A container of béchamel may be labelled with the product name, preparation date and time, approved use-by date, storage requirement and the employee identifier. The label should be legible, securely attached and consistent with the restaurant’s food-safety plan.

Food labelling versus date coding

Food labelling is the broader identification and information process. Date coding is the part of labelling that records dates such as prepared-on, opened-on, thawed-on, best-before or use-by. These dates have different meanings and should not be used interchangeably.

Good labelling practice

Use food-safe labels or tape, write clearly, avoid ambiguous date formats and remove obsolete labels before reusing containers. Never transfer a label to a different food or extend a shelf life without an approved basis. Follow applicable regulations for consumer-facing packaged-food labels.

Chef’s tip: every prepared container should be identifiable at a glance. A label that cannot be read, is missing a use-by date or does not match the food is a stock-control and food-safety problem.