What rule necessitates placing a date on products received?

The concept of First-In-First-Out (FIFO) is crucial for inventory management, especially in contexts where products have a limited shelf life, such as food service. The FIFO method emphasizes that products should be used in the order they were received, ensuring that older stock is utilized before newer stock. This helps in minimizing waste, as it reduces the likelihood of items expiring before they can be used.

Placing a date on products is essential under this rule because it provides a clear reference for determining which items were received first. When staff are aware of the receipt dates, they can more confidently rotate stock, pulling the older items to the front for use before the newer items at the back. This systematic approach helps maintain freshness and quality in products.

In contrast, the other options correspond to different principles or practices that do not specifically mandate dating products for the purpose of inventory management. For instance, Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) focuses on using the most recently received products first, which does not support the need for tracking and dating as the FIFO method does. Daily Rotational Use (DRU) pertains to a specific procedural guideline that may not inherently incorporate dating practices in the same way. Best Before (BB) is a labeling standard that indicates