Why do we use commercial coldrooms and coldstores, chiller or freezer units? They help businesses to store food, keep produce fresh, and ensure goods are okay to eat or safe to prepare. Without chiller or freezer units produce would quickly rot, it could become infected with bacteria, and cause serious stomach complaints.
Coldrooms, chiller and freezer units support food safety within commercial businesses. They also ensure storage facilities are protected and have the means to warehouse goods in temperature-controlled environments.
Sadly, in some cases, having the facilities to store produce safely doesn’t always ensure the food you serve on a plate is fit to consume. Basic flaws caused by storing food incorrectly or not preparing it properly can lead to stomach poisoning.
Most common food safety mistakes
Storing food safely is just a small factor to consider if you prepare food in a commercial or domestic setting. Maintaining the right temperature within fridges, freezers or chiller units is a must, and fatal errors pertaining to meal production should be avoided at all costs, like the mistakes we have listed here.
- Using worktops to thaw food – This can lead to the production of bacteria, best left to defrost in fridge
- Reusing raw meat plate – Placing cooked food on a plate that previously hosted raw meat
- Sampling food – Tasting food to see if it’s fit for consumption could lead to bacterial infection
- Leaving food to cool for too long – If you want to put cooked food into a fridge, do so within a couple of hours
- Marinating food – Always marinate food in the refrigerator, never leave it out on the countertop where germs can spread
- Undercooking – Check cooking times as per your kitchen appliance and make sure food is cooked through prior to serving
- Hand washing – Use soap and water before and after you handle raw food. Failing to do so can increase the chances of spreading germs and bacteria
Storing food safely in chilled environments is just the beginning of basic safety within the kitchen. Consider the points we have raised here and should you require advice about coldroom solutions, don’t hesitate to contact us at Polysec.