Refrigeration in the food industry is stacked with challenges. Whether you’re buying a brand new refrigeration unit, or upgrading an existing unit, it’s important to be aware of the many difficulties that massive cold rooms and refrigeration units present to business owners and refrigeration professionals. Knowing these issues can help you become a smart shopper and can help you work with your refrigeration engineer or professional.
1. Maintaining Sanitation-Friendly Design
Food safety is heavily dependent on proper refrigeration sanitation. Cracks and crevices where dirt can hide create problems and make cleaning very difficult. Refrigerators must be designed to be sanitation-friendly, with as few crevices as possible.
Additionally, shelving inside the refrigerator unit must be made from a material that can withstand regular harsh cleanings. Stainless steel is the material of choice, but ensuring cost effectiveness can be a challenge. It’s important to work with a professional who has contacts with quality material suppliers, and with enough expertise to keep costs low.
2. Prolonging The Life of Your Products
Refrigeration in the food industry is obviously all about prolonging the life of your products. A cold room should be designed for its specific purpose, and should not follow a one-size fits all approach.
Different products have different temperature requirements and this should be considered at the design stage. Adding suitable temperature controls and even warning alarms for when the temperature falls outside of optimal conditions, will ensure your products’ shelf life is optimised.
3. Ensuring Safety
The 2006 Food Hygiene Regulations require that foods that are likely to form toxins must be held at or below 8°C. It’s incredibly important to work with a professional refrigerant engineer who can ensure that your refrigerator will safely meet the refrigeration requirements. This is important for your business as well as the people who consume the food inside the refrigerator.
All in all, the most important thing you can do to ensure that your commercial refrigeration unit is functioning properly is to hire a professional, reputable company to install and maintain your commercial refrigerator.
Sources: https://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2019/refrigeration-system-enhancements/
About Pinder Cooling
Pinder Cooling provides commercial air conditioning and commercial refrigeration installation services to clients across the North of England, including Leeds, Manchester, Wakefield, Liverpool, Sheffield and Hull.