The high spec, state of the art kitchens with dedicated gas ranges and cooking tops, with hand free taps and dynamic organisation systems would be worthless without the all-important fridge. For some it’s the least interesting item in commercial catering but without it, we’d all be out of business. It’s still surprising to think how easily its role is overlooked considering how important it is. We know that an Italian Restaurant Dublin company love their fridge for all the fresh food they prepare which you can see if you visit https://www.forno500.ie/ an italian restaurant in dublin.
Saving you time and money
Some food keeps better for longer in a fridge saving you time and money in restocking. Some food and drink tastes better for being stored in a fridge, improving sales. But a wide range of produce must be kept in a fridge, such as milk, meat, cooked foods and desserts, also food with a ‘use by’ date and food with a ‘keep refrigerated’ label.
Avoid the avoidable
At the right temperature some bugs that can lead to food poisoning can multiply every 10 minutes. This equates to one thousand germs reaching one million in number in just under two hours. And for this reason commercial refrigeration is very important to your kitchen.
Commercial fridges are built for purpose and make it easier to follow the food poison prevention guidelines put in place by the FSA e.g.
Keeping your fridge at 5ºC or below: Commercial fridges contain a fridge thermometer whereas domestic fridges usually use a numbered dial.
Cleaning the inside and the outside of the fridge regularly: With a commercial unit, regular cleaning is expected and they are built accordingly.
Preventing your fridge from becoming overloaded: Overloading prevents circulation of cool air, which could mean that food is not kept cold enough.
Everything in its place
But also using a commercial fridge allows for easier organisation and storage, ensuring food such as raw meat, poultry and fish is stored in the correct place. Which is difficult in most domestic fridges that open outwards and use the very bottom of the fridge for salad storage.
Nick Tilley, director at Common Sense Compliance, is in favour of draw units in commercial kitchens, he says that while warm air rises up, cold air mostly sinks, so when a modern day refrigerator is opened, the cold air temperature literally ‘falls out’ of the door, resulting in a less than ideal temperature within the appliance.
It’s an example of a problem with many fridges that can be easily overlooked, which is why it’s important to consult a commercial refrigeration specialist.
But it’s not all negative, as Nick goes on to say, “If high risk food…is kept in the correct temperature parameters, then bacteria growth can be managed or even killed off altogether.” Which is even more reason to be proud of your commercial fridge. So next time you show someone around, why not pause by the fridge. They probably want to see the most important feature of the room.
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