Top Rules for Fridge Storage Food Safety
One of the top reasons for spoilage of temperature sensitive foods is the improper storage of the products. Temperature excursions in a walk-in cooler or refrigerator can affect an entire operation or business, costing them considerable time and money. Investing in a reliable and accurate temperature monitoring system is one of the best ways to prevent spoilage, but understanding the rules for fridge storage food safety are necessary. Whether you are a small restaurant or cafe business or part of a large chain restaurant, here are the most applicable storage rules for walk-in coolers and refrigerators.
How to Organize Shelves
The storage of perishable foods in refrigerators is essential to their freshness. Products that are improperly stored and unsafe for consumption can be detrimental to a business. Arranging food shelves by cooking temperatures is a sure way to guarantee freshness. Ready-to-eat foods should sit on the top shelf, followed by products with the lowest to highest cooking temperatures. For example, below ready-to-eat foods should be those that are “hot-held” at a temperature of approximately 135°F, or foods that are served without being cooked first. Following those products on the second shelf should be whole meats, seafood, and eggs, or products that should be cooked to 145°F. Any meat that has been altered from its whole state by being ground, marinated, injected, or tenderized should be kept below this shelf, due to the cooking temperature being 155°F. Finally, the bottom shelf should hold foods with the highest cooking temperatures. This includes all types of poultry, any product that requires temperature control, or dishes with previously cooked foods; these food items should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Additionally, use the FIFO rule when rotating stock, otherwise known as First In, First Out. This is a rule highly recommended to prevent food waste so that the food bought first is used first.
What’s important to remember about proper food storage is it does not eliminate the risk of spoilage or contamination. Those who are responsible for the handling or monitoring of perishable products must be sure to know when to throw food away if it is unsafe for consumption, even when stored correctly. Although throwing food away seems wasteful, it will save the business time and money further down the line while also preventing foodborne illnesses. Make sure to be mindful of expiration dates or if the products smell or look rotten.
In addition to properly arranging food storage based on cooking temperatures, monitoring the safety and cleanliness of the walk-in-cooler or refrigerator is essential. Every area of a walk-in cooler should be cleaned and sanitized regularly to prevent the accumulation of myoglobin, mold, debris, or bacteria. Not only does this prevent spoilage of products and reduce the risk of listeria contamination, but regularly cleaning your walk-in cooler or refrigerator can improve its cooling performance and mitigate breakdowns.
What can Technology do to Help?
A reliable and accurate temperature monitoring system is one of the best ways to keep your walk-in cooler or refrigerator in it’s best condition and prevent food spoilage. Specifically, the most reliable option would be a system that allows a user to build meaningful, custom notifications when there are temperature excursions in the refrigerator. Fresh, frozen, cooked, and prepared foods all require different temperature ranges to remain safe. When temperature checks are done by employees, this leaves room for human error. A unique example for a custom notification would be using a temperature monitoring system that can determine the difference between a defrost cycle, door opening event, and frost over failure with the systems cooling coils. Additionally, be sure that your temperature monitoring system is measuring the product’s temperature, and not just the environment’s ambient air. Without this guarantee, it can cause inaccurate readings and recordings resulting in costly food spoilage.
“The most reliable option would be a system that allows a user to build meaningful, custom notifications when there are temperature excursions”
Blulog’s temperature monitoring systems are reliable, affordable, accurate, and have additional features to match your business needs. The Blulog gel-based wireless temperature sensors, otherwise known as our Mimic sensors, are a digital-twin of the food product being stored. The BluConsole software interface allows users to set up specific notifications catered to your product needs so there is no room for human error. The food safe gel packaging mimics product temperature, not the environment’s. No longer do you have to settle to take air temperature measurements, for this is most commonly a false positive of a temperature excursion event. Your product’s temperature data can be viewed in real time on our BluConsole dashboard, and available through the BluMobile app for iPhone and Android smartphone users.
Safety for your walk-in cooler or refrigerator has many aspects, some assisted with and without technology. Storing and organizing your perishable products correctly is a sure way to keep products and consumers safe. Now more than ever is it necessary to utilize smart technology to reduce food waste, labor cost, and increase food safety. Utilizing a specific wireless temperature monitoring system and product such as Blulog’s gel-based temperature sensor, compliant with HACCP regulations, can take your preventative measures to the next level. Check out our product page here, chat with us online at any time, or email us at hello@blulinesolutions.com for more information!
Bluline Solutions solves cold chain temperature excursion threats by offering its clients cloud connected IoT wireless sensor technologies. Our broad range of active and passive logger devices and sensing options means you can accurately measure what matters and not settle for an approximate or close enough measurement.
Live monitor temperature, humidity or door opening events with Blulog RF and access to your data using our complimentary web dashboard console or mobile app. If you transport temperature sensitive products using a contracted carrier, Blulog NFC technology will record temperatures during transportation and provide any registered system user immediate notification of goods arriving at the point of arrival with a date, time, temperature and geolocation stamp. Both Blulog RF and NFC technologies provide temperature breach notifications, allow report generation, and provide long term subscription free cloud-based data storage.
Blulog is ideal for use in temperature controlled environments, multiple modes of transportation, and commercial retail refrigeration sites. Be confident that your products and perishable items are kept safe and secure with Blulog. Learn more at www.blulinesolutions.com