Receiving and storing bulk chana dal and besan without losing the lot record

A delivery arrives, the bags go into the store, and production starts using them. A week later, someone asks which lot went into a particular production batch. Can your records answer?

For a namkeen unit, sweet maker, caterer or repacker, receiving is a useful point to connect the order, the actual bags and the production record. The suggestions below help organise that handover. Adapt them to your business’s food-safety procedures and the instructions supplied with the product.

Give each delivery a receiving reference

Create one reference for the delivery, then record each supplier lot separately. A receiving reference is your own filing aid; it should not replace or alter the supplier’s lot identification.

Keep the product description, supplier, receipt date, bag count, declared pack size and invoice or delivery-note reference together. If the delivery contains more than one lot, note the quantity against each. Photograph the readable identification on the actual bags while you can still match it to the stock.

FSSAI’s labelling rules use lot, code or batch identification to support tracing a food through manufacture and distribution. Different rules can apply to retail packs and non-retail containers, so check the provisions relevant to the actual sale format. A large bag is not, by itself, a complete label-compliance assessment. FSSAI labelling and display reference

Record the condition before putting stock away

Look for torn or wet bags, damaged closures, pest signs, visible contamination and unusual odour. Match the delivered product to the order. Record the observation and identify the affected bags; a photograph without a lot reference is harder to use later.

FSSAI’s foodgrain warehouse guidance includes a suggested incoming-material inspection record covering quantity, pack size, condition and date information. FSSAI incoming-material inspection record, section 2.3

Questionable stock should remain identified and separate from released stock while the responsible person assesses it. Record who decides the next step. Do not assume that cooking makes suspect material acceptable.

A receiving check describes what was observed. It does not establish every safety or authenticity requirement, and this guide does not report a Neevika test result or certify a batch.

Make the storage position part of the record

Follow the pack’s storage instructions and keep bags protected from moisture, pests and contamination. Use suitable, clean supports to keep stock off the floor, allow inspection and cleaning around it, and keep food separate from chemicals. FSSAI’s warehouse guidance discusses these controls and FIFO or FEFO stock rotation. Use the relevant controls for your product and facility. FSSAI foodgrain warehouse guidance

Add a simple location to your record, such as a rack or clearly identified storage zone. When someone moves stock, update the location. The receiving reference, supplier lot and physical bags should still agree after a busy shift.

Decide which stock to issue using dates and status

FIFO means first in, first out. FEFO means first expiry, first out. Receipt order and expiry order may differ, so the storekeeper needs the applicable date information as well as the arrival date. Use only stock released for use and still within the applicable date limits; rotation is not permission to use damaged or otherwise unsuitable material.

For example, two deliveries of the same besan product may have different lots and date marks. Write down which lot is issued first and why, following the business’s procedure. Do not give both deliveries one new undifferentiated identity just because their brand and grade match.

Keep the link when a bag is opened

If material moves into a suitable food-use container, keep its product and supplier-lot identity with it. Recording the opening or transfer date can help the next operator understand the handover. Preserve the original date and storage information; an internal sticker should not create a new shelf life.

For each issue to production, record the supplier lot, quantity and production-batch or job reference. If more than one lot is used in the same production batch, record every contributing lot. This is a suggested way to keep the relationship visible, rather than relying on an operator’s memory.

FSSAI’s food-recall regulations describe distribution records containing supplier/customer and product, date, lot and pack information. Your receiving and issue records should fit the wider traceability and recall arrangements for your business. FSSAI food-recall regulations

A simple record to adapt

Use these headings in a register or your existing stock system:

• Receiving reference and receipt date
• Supplier and invoice or delivery-note reference
• Product and supplier lot identification
• Bag count and pack size, with the recorded quantity
• Pack date information and storage instructions
• Condition observed, photos and discrepancies
• Released or held status, with the responsible person
• Storage location
• Opening or transfer date, where relevant
• Quantity issued and the production-batch or job reference
• Balance and any subsequent action

This is a suggested working record, not a complete regulatory form. Decide which additional checks and records your operation needs with the responsible food-safety person.

Try the record in both directions

Pick a finished production batch and use your records to identify the ingredient lots used. Then pick one received lot and find its remaining stock and recorded issues. Missing links tell you where the handover needs improvement. This records check does not replace any required product assessment.

Before the next purchase, our besan sample-to-delivery guide helps connect the application trial to the order. Our dal and besan quality guide explains the scope of visible checks and other evidence.

हिंदी सारांश

Neevika Enterprises is based in Vana, Bhinder, Udaipur. For chana dal or besan enquiries, share the product, intended use, approximate quantity and destination on +91 87005 69472. Visit neevika.in.