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Hong KongFIFO: stock rotation, and where it stops being enough
First In, First Out means older stock is used before newer stock, arranged so the oldest is easiest to reach. It is a rotation method, not a safety limit - date marking sets the discard date, and a use-by date overrides delivery order.
FIFO is one of the few food safety acronyms that everybody already knows, which is why the exam asks about its edges rather than its definition.
What it actually is
Older stock in front, newer stock behind. The oldest item is the easiest one to reach, so using it first is the path of least resistance rather than a decision anybody has to make at seven on a Saturday.
That framing is the point. A rotation system that depends on staff checking dates during service is a system that fails during service.
Where it stops
FIFO orders by arrival. Safety runs on discard dates, and the two can disagree.
| Situation | What governs |
|---|---|
| Two identical cases, delivered a week apart | FIFO - use the older one |
| Older case with a later use-by date | The use-by date, not the delivery order |
| Ready-to-eat TCS food held over 24 hours | Date marking: 7 days at 41°F, day of preparation is day one |
| Anything past its discard date | Discard, regardless of how much is left |
The second row is the examinable one. FIFO is a heuristic for arrival order; where a manufacturer date says otherwise, the date wins.
Rotating stock properly does not add a day to anything. Date-marked food is discarded on its date whether or not it was rotated, whether or not it looks fine, and whether or not the case is half full.
Making it work
- Label everything on arrival, and again on preparation.
- Use a discard date rather than a preparation date, so nobody has to do arithmetic.
- Put new deliveries behind, not on top - the shortcut everyone takes when the walk-in is cold.
- Assign the rotation check to a person and a time, not to everyone in general.
- Keep the labeling system consistent, because a mixed system is one nobody reads.
FEFO, if you want the more accurate version
First Expired, First Out. It orders by discard date instead of arrival date, which is what you actually want and what most well-run kitchens converge on.
The exam uses FIFO, so answer FIFO. It is worth knowing the distinction, because it explains why the use-by date beats the delivery date in the table above.
Dry goods and freezers
Rotation applies everywhere, not just in the cooler. Dry goods develop pest problems and go stale; frozen items develop freezer burn and lose quality. Neither is a pathogen risk, and both are inspection findings when the stock at the back is old enough to be forgotten.
Common questions
What does FIFO mean?
First In, First Out - older stock is used before newer stock, arranged so the oldest item is the easiest one to reach. Rotation should be the path of least resistance, not a decision made during service.
Does FIFO override a use-by date?
No, the other way round. If an older case carries a later use-by date, the date governs. FIFO orders by arrival, and safety runs on discard dates.
Is FIFO the same as date marking?
No. FIFO is a rotation method. Date marking sets the discard date for ready-to-eat TCS food held more than 24 hours - seven days at 41°F, counting the day of preparation as day one.
What is FEFO?
First Expired, First Out - rotation by discard date rather than arrival date. It is more accurate than FIFO and is what most well-run kitchens end up doing, but FIFO is the term the exam uses.
Does rotating stock extend how long you can keep it?
No. Date-marked food is discarded on its date regardless of rotation, appearance or how much is left in the container.