Celery
Celery is a biennial vegetable (meaning it has a normal life cycle of two years) that belongs to the Umbelliferae family, whose other members include carrots, celery, parsley and dill. While most people associate celery with its prized stalks, its leaves, roots and seeds are also used as a food and seasoning as well as a natural medicinal remedy. Celery grows to a height of 12 to 16 inches and is composed of leaf-topped stalks arranged in a conical shape and joined at a common base. The stalks have a crunchy texture and a delicate, but mildly salty, taste. The stalks in the center are called the heart and are the most tender.

Storage
» Store immediately in the coldest part of the walk-in cooler. Heat exposure (above 40 degrees)
will cause a rapid decline in quality.
» Celery is extremely susceptible to dehydration damage from direct exposure to cooler fans.
» To prolong shelf life, trim away foliage.
» Store away from ethylene producing fruits. Ethylene can shorten the shelf life.

Handling
» Follow good rotation practices, first shipments received should be used first..
» Avoid placing the case or raw product on non-sanitized kitchen counter tops to help prevent the potential for cross contamination.

Preparation
»Prepare as needed. Try not to use product from the previous day.
» Trim away and remove outside layers of the bulb that have browned.
» Store prepared product in refridgerator