When should food items be checked for expiration dates?

Food items should be checked for expiration dates regularly as part of safety and quality checks to ensure the safety and quality of products available to customers. Regular checks help in identifying items that are no longer safe to consume, which is crucial for preventing foodborne illnesses and maintaining customer trust. By routinely reviewing expiration dates, employees can manage stock effectively, rotate products, and remove items that have passed their expiration to ensure that consumers only purchase safe, high-quality food. This proactive approach aligns with best practices in food safety, emphasizing the importance of continual monitoring rather than only checking during specific events like inventory audits or customer purchases.