Keeping Food Fresh In Restaurants With Commercial Refrigerators

Keeping Food Fresh In Restaurants With Commercial Refrigerators

Keeping Food Fresh In Restaurants With Commercial Refrigerators

Good refrigeration equipment can help food and beverage (F&B) businesses maintain the quality and freshness of both raw ingredients and cooked food for a prolonged period. This allows restaurants to ensure that the dishes they serve are tasty, well-made, and safe for consumption.

As such, commercial refrigerators and freezers are natural fixtures of any commercial kitchen in Adelaide. However, to maximise the potential of these equipment, it is important to observe some best practices when using them to store and organise your food. That is why in this article, we will share some tips and suggestions on how to do just that.

The Role of Commercial Refrigerators in Food Safety

Restaurants are required by law to serve their customers food that is fresh and safe to eat. If improperly prepared or stored, food and ingredients can spoil quickly and cause health problems – such as food poisoning – for patrons once consumed, which can lead to a lot of legal trouble for restaurants.

Keeping food at cooler temperatures inhibits bacteria growth and ensures that food remains fresher for longer. In a restaurant setting, this unique environment is typically satisfied by commercial fridges. Even though commercial fridges serve the same purpose as home fridges, they have certain advantages that make them uniquely suited for F&B businesses.

For instance, commercial fridges in Adelaide have more powerful compressors and are typically built to withstand heavy/constant use. This means that they have a stronger, more consistent cooling ability than home fridges even with the frequent opening and closing that happens in commercial kitchens. Their larger sizes also allow restaurants to keep more food items cold and fresh, improving the efficiency of the food production process.

Best Practices for Commercial Fridge Usage

  1. Set the Right Temperature

For effective food preservation, it is key to get the temperature of your commercial fridge right. If the temperature is too high, your perishables will not keep well and may spoil more easily. However, if the temperature is too low, you may end up unintentionally freezing your food and taking more time to defrost them – or even damage them due to freezer burn.

While ideal temperature ranges may vary depending on the type of food you store, below 5C is a common recommendation because it is lower than the temperature danger zone for bacteria like salmonella and E.coli (5C-60C). Most commercial fridges will also come with temperature alarms to alert if the temperature rises too high, so be sure to properly calibrate and monitor these as well.

  1. Organise Food Effectively

Temperature aside, cross-contamination is also a major culprit of food poisoning, so it is important to have a good organisation system inside your commercial refrigerator. However, this system also highly depends on the type of refrigerator you have – for instance, whether it is a display fridge or a walk-in freezer.

As a general rule, cooked and ready-to-eat foods will go on the upper shelves for easy access. Meat and poultry should be kept on the lower shelves to minimise the risk of them dripping onto other items and contaminating them. Finally, vegetables, fruit and other fresh produce should be kept away from the fridge fans as they are more susceptible to damage. Be sure as well to leave enough space in between items so that the cool air can circulate properly.

  1. Conduct Regular Cleaning

The fridge is one of the most-used appliances in any kitchen, and a commercial fridge is no exception. With the amount of ingredients and food that passes through a fridge every day, dirt and bacteria can accumulate quickly if the fridge is not cleaned regularly. Additionally, a dirty fridge is also a less effective fridge as it must work harder to maintain a cool environment and keep your food fresh.

Thankfully, commercial fridges are designed to be easy to clean with removable shelves and cabinets. Simply empty the shelves, dispose of expired or bad perishables, unplug the fridge and wipe the interior and other components with some warm, soapy water. Read more here for more detailed commercial fridge cleaning tips.

  1. Schedule Regular Maintenance

Like any well-oiled machine, a commercial fridge needs to be serviced regularly to ensure it continues running well and can maintain food and ingredient freshness. There are several signs you can watch out for that may indicate that the fridge is beginning to malfunction, such as temperature fluctuations, ice buildup and loud sounds.

However, do not be tempted to wait till these signs appear to schedule a maintenance call. If your fridge does break down to the point that it requires replacing, you will then have the headache of finding somewhere to relocate and preserve your perishable items at short notice. As such, it is always prudent to maintain a regular maintenance schedule.

Preserve Your Perishables with Commercial Fridges from BOSSY’s

The ability to maintain food freshness can make or break a food service establishment, which is why it is so important for restaurants to select the correct commercial refrigeration equipment and use them correctly. This is key for businesses to deliver quality F&B offerings while remaining compliant with food safety standards.

At BOSSY’s, our experienced team can help you select the best commercial fridge for your restaurant and provide guidance on how to best use them to maintain the freshness of your food. As one of South Australia’s refrigeration specialists, we also provide quality installation, repair, and maintenance services for all types of commercial refrigeration in Adelaide. Contact us today to find out more.

 

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