Ch 4 Food Product Flow

Conventional or Traditional Foodservice

Raw foods purchases and prepared on-site; served soon after preparation; common in hospitals & restaurants

Conventional or Traditional Foodservice advantages

• quality control

• menu flexibility

• less freezer storage required

Conventional or Traditional Foodservice disadvantages

• stressful workday

• difficulty scheduling workers

What are the two service options for Conventional or Traditional Foodservice?

Centralized and decentralized

Centralized service options

trays are assembled close to the production areas

Decentralized service options

food is distributed in bulk and tray assembly occurs close to patient rooms

Ready Prepared Foodservice AKA

cook/chill or cook/freeze or sous vide

Ready Prepared Foodservice definition

Foods prepared on-site, then chilled or frozen & stored for reheating at a later time

Ready Prepared Foodservice advantages

• reduction of “peaks and valleys” of workloads

• reduction in labor cost

• improved quality and quantity control

Ready Prepared Foodservice disadvantages

• need for large cold storage and freezer units

• need for costly re-thermalization equipment

Commissary Foodservice

Central production kitchen with centralized food purchasing and delivery to off-site facilities

Commissary Foodservice advantages

• large volume food purchasing reduces costs

• effective and consistent quality control

Commissary Foodservice disadvantages

• many critical points where contamination of food can occur

• specialized equipment and trucks are needed for food safety

• high cost of equipment and equipment maintenance

Assembly/serve foodservice AKA

the “kitchenless kitchen”

Assembly/serve foodservice definition

Fully prepared foods are purchased, assembled, heated, and served

Assembly/serve foodservice advantages

• labor savings

• lower procurement costs

• minimal equipment and space requirements

Assembly/serve foodservice disadvantages

• limited menu options

• high cost of prepared foods

• additional freezer space requirements

• concern over disposing of packaging materials

Combination food service systems

• ready prepared + commissary

• conventional + assembly serve

Modified conventional

kitchen includes use of value-added products (ex: precut veggies, pre-formed patties, ready-made sauces)