As September marks National Food Safety Education Month, it's the perfect time to spotlight one of the most critical areas in any restaurant: the walk-in cooler. Proper food storage and preservation in these cold storage units are essential to maintaining food safety, preventing spoilage, and avoiding costly health violations.
Walk-in coolers are the heart of any commercial kitchen, crucial in food storage and preservation. Proper organization and maintenance of these units are essential to prevent cross-contamination and ensure food safety. The ambient temperature of a walk-in cooler should be maintained between 35°F to 38°F. This temperature range is critical for slowing down bacterial growth and preserving food quality.
To maintain food safety, it's important to organize items properly within the cooler. Fruits, vegetables, and herbs should be stored on the highest shelf, followed by precooked items, dairy products, raw meats, and defrosting meats on the bottom shelf. This arrangement helps prevent cross-contamination and reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses.
Regular cleaning and sanitization of walk-in coolers are vital to prevent the buildup of bacteria, mold, and other contaminants. Implementing continuous temperature monitoring systems helps ensure that perishable items are stored at appropriate temperatures, minimizing the risk of spoilage or contamination.
Thermo-Kool's walk-in monitoring system offers real-time temperature updates, capturing data every 10-20 minutes and alerting when temperatures deviate from a safe range. Maintaining optimal conditions helps prevent food spoilage and ensures quality.
System alerts include high and low alarms for temperature monitoring, aiding in tracking irregularities, and door status monitoring, notifying the operator if the door has been left open or if the door hasn't been opened for an extended period of time after someone enters and no movement is detected. This HACCP-compliant system also allows for two-compartment temperature monitoring, ideal for specialty produce.
Thermo-Kool's monitoring system reduces human error and the need for frequent training. It also optimizes energy consumption by identifying when temperatures are colder than necessary. This proactive approach to equipment maintenance helps address issues before they become serious, enhancing overall food safety and operational efficiency.
Bluezone UV Air Purification technology is an advanced system that uses patented UV technology to transform the environment within walk-in coolers, killing up to 99.9999% of mold, bacteria, and ethylene gas. By eliminating these harmful agents, Bluezone significantly extends inventory shelf life and reduces browning, softening, and spoilage.
The Bluezone Model 2400 is specifically designed for walk-in refrigerators. It draws air into a self-contained reaction chamber, where ultraviolet-enhanced oxidation eliminates contaminants. This process converts ethylene gas to water and CO2, effectively removing the primary cause of food decay.
Studies show that as much as 40 percent of our food supply is wasted. Bluezone technology, when combined with Thermo-Kool walk-in coolers, helps address this issue by preserving food for longer periods. For example, it has been shown to extend the shelf life of strawberries by ten full days.
Thermo-Kool's commitment to food safety goes beyond traditional cooling methods. Innovative solutions, including advanced refrigeration technology and air purification systems, are revolutionizing commercial kitchens. From environment-friendly refrigerants like Thermo-Kool's switch to R-1233zd in walk-in coolers/freezers and R-448 in blast chillers to the use of Bluezone, learn more about the ways your walk-in can have positive impacts -- both inside and out.