Guidelines to Storing Your Dairy Products in a Cold Store

 

Milk is known for its essential nutrients. Rich in calcium, protein, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and fats that the body needs, according to milk.co.uk, a glass of milk a day contributes to the recommended intake of many important nutrients for all age groups. However, in order to preserve its freshness and obtain these nutrients, milk should be properly packaged and stored.

 

Importance of Cold Stores for Milk Products

1. To avoid contaminated milk products

Milk is almost sterile for the first three to four hours after extraction from cows and other types of livestock that produce milk. The natural inhibitors in milk, like lactoferrin and lactoperoxide, prevent any significant rise in bacteria. However, it is not safe to drink at this point.

The need for milk can be found in almost every household around the world. Milk should be preserved correctly in cold storage facilities with a temperature of 4 ⁰C; the cold temperature helps retard bacterial growth, preserving the milk’s quality for human consumption.

2. To prevent financial loss

Temperatures above 4 ⁰C tend to spoil milk rapidly. Milk that has been exposed to high temperatures simply cannot be sold, resulting in major financial loss to suppliers and retailers alike.

Good sanitation is important as it can prevent milk from causing illnesses like food poisoning. Cold storage can increase the shelf life and improve the quality of dairy products but perhaps more importantly, companies won’t need to worry about supplying their customers with dairy products that aren’t fit for consumption.

 

Milk Storage Product Guide

The chart below demonstrates the recommended storage times and temperatures for milk and other dairy products:

 

1Cold offers cold store options for food manufacturing facilities. Our wide range of temperature controlled environments delivers value engineered solutions for different industries, including businesses that produce and handle dairy products.

Buyer’s Guide to Selecting the Right Cold Room for Commercial Use

Acquiring a cold room is not as easy as buying a refrigerator for domestic use; cold rooms are bigger and require stricter safety guidelines. Commonly used by some industries to store perishable goods, specimens or even equipment, you should be precise and attentive when deciding on the right cold room for your business.

Cold Room Buying Guidelines:

1. Identify your needs

Before actually consulting cold room specialists, you should initially determine the role of the cold room and how it will contribute to your day-to-day operations.

a. Nature of business

Industries require the use of cold rooms to preserve goods or as a part of the manufacturing process. Here are some of the establishments that use cold rooms:

• Grocery Stores
• Hospitals, Clinics and Medicine
• Science Laboratories and Research Centres
• Information Technology and Data Centres
• Electronics
• Food Processing or Food Manufacturing
• Restaurants and Kitchens
• Storage and Warehouses

b. Types of Cold Rooms

Not all businesses require the same cold room specifications. Here are the different types of cold rooms that are available on the market:

• Modular Cold room
• Combi Cold room
• Walk-in Cold room
• Industrial Cold Room
• Custom-Built Cold room

2. Align the specification with the operational requirements

The choice of a cold room should be fully aligned with your industry’s operational requirements. Measure how much space you have and compare it with your choice of cold room facility.

Decide how much storage space you will need; this will ensure that the cold room is used to its full potential and maximising space could save money in the long run.

3. Cold room scalability

Always assume that your business will develop and grow in the future. Ask the contractor whether the cold room can be extended or suitably sized to cope with current and anticipated storage requirements. Otherwise, it could prove to be very costly at a later date.

4. Examine the running costs

Consider the energy rating of the refrigeration system. If it has a high energy rating, it is likely to consume less energy.

5. After-sales service

Look for a cold room specialist that offers after sales support. That way, if the cold room malfunctions within or after a certain warranty period, you can rest assured that the supplier will be happy to assist you.

6. Consider testimonials from past clients

Customer reviews or feedback are important. Take the time to research and read testimonials from previous customers. It will give you a good idea of their experiences of specific contractors.

1Cold offers cold room options for a variety of temperature controlled environment requirements.

Tips on Storing and Handling Frozen Treats in Cold Storage

Frozen treats are perishable foods that should be treated with care; exposure to high temperatures will have an adverse effect on their texture and flavour characteristics. Frozen treats should be properly stored and handled by manufacturers, sellers and even consumers.

 

Types of Frozen Treats:

1. Ice Cream

Ice creams are made with milk, cream, sugar and egg yolks. They are churned at a fairly high speed to incorporate air and increase their volume. Generally smooth, light-textured and creamy they have a firmer texture.

 

2. Gelato

Made with sugar and with a higher proportion of milk and less of cream and eggs compared with ice cream, gelato is churned at a much slower rate so it is denser; this creates a silkier texture. It should be served at a slightly warmer temperature.

 

3. Frozen Yogurt

Frozen yogurt or froyo is made with cultured milk combined with a sweetener. It has a lower fat content than ice cream and gelato.

 

4. Sorbet

Sorbet is low in calories and fat because it is made of fruit, juices, syrup and water. It is made by blending and freezing sweetened water with fruit puree.

 

Storage Guide:

1. Deep Chill

Frozen treats are best enjoyed when perfectly chilled; a temperature of between -5 ⁰F to 0 ⁰F is required to make them firm.

2. Keep the Temperature Consistent

Inconsistent or sudden changes in temperature may result in a grainy texture.

3. Store in the back of the Cold Store

To the rear and at the bottom part of the cold store has the lowest temperature. Keep frozen treats as far away from the door as possible; items stored near the door are more susceptible to temperature changes which could affect their quality.

4. Use Airtight Containers

Ice cream expert, Cary Frye, discovered a couple of things that happen when frozen treats are exposed to air: First, when frozen treats are exposed to higher temperatures and are then frozen again, this creates large crystals which feel coarse, icy and even colder in the mouth. Also, the evaporation of water at the surface level forms additional ice crystals. Oxygen reacts with the cold temperature causing dehydration.

In order to maintain the quality of your frozen treats, use an airtight container and place some cling film directly on top before replacing the lid.

5. Prevent Flavours from Mixing

Always separate flavours accordingly. Some flavours are richer in aroma and this might affect other varieties: Keep baking soda in your cold store to absorb any odours.

 

By applying these tips, manufacturers can assure rich flavours and creamy textured frozen treats. Cold store solutions for food manufacturing facilities are offered by 1Cold Ltd.

Different Pathogenic Bacteria that Grow on Foods that are Not Properly Stored

The food industry is one of the most crucial because it serves everyone. Since it requires the handling of large amounts of food, it is likely that some of these goods will be mismanaged. One mistake can put someone into danger, which may even cost them their life.

Common to food, pathogenic bacteria are capable of causing human disease. They usually grow when food products are not properly stored in cold storage facilities. Here are some of the common pathogenic bacteria:

 

1.   Salmonella

According to WebMD, reptiles, chicks/ducklings and rodents are carriers of salmonella. Food can be contaminated during processing or handling; if the infected food handler does not wash their hands with soap before preparing food. Raw meats, milk and eggs are more commonly infected but vegetables can be affected if washed with contaminated water. Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhoea, fever, abdominal cramps and vomiting.

 

2.   E. coli O157:H7

Like salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 is caused by the consumption of contaminated and raw food. It lives in the intestine of healthy animals and the contamination usually occurs in the slaughtering process. It may cause haemorrhagic diarrhoea that if untreated can lead to kidney failure.

 

3.   Botulism

Food-borne botulism is caused by clostridium botulinum – a bacterium that produces harmful toxins in environments with little oxygen (e.g. homemade, canned, preserved or fermented foods). Botulism can cause respiratory and muscular paralysis.

According to the World Health Organisation, refrigeration temperatures combined with salt content and/or acidic conditions will prevent the growth of these bacteria.

 

4.   Norovirus

Contaminated bunkered water, inadequate disinfection of water, deficiencies in food handling, preparation and cooking can trigger norovirus. Causing inflammation of the stomach and large intestine lining (food poisoning), it is the most commonly implicated pathogen.

Practicing proper hygiene, like washing your hands carefully with soap and water before preparing and handling food, can help to avoid norovirus. Furthermore, fruits and vegetable should be clean and oysters and other shellfish should be cooked thoroughly before eating.

Tips on how to Keep your Refrigeration Systems Cool

To learn how to save cold room electricity costs, click here: http://bit.ly/1RPBM5W

Safety Precautions for Cold Room employees

Here are some safety precautions that every cold room workers must know to keep their cold room operation a safe working environment

 

Different Cold Room Storage Terms for Medicines

Image source: Wikipedia.org

Medicines play an important role in our lives, curing many ailments and sustaining different health requirements. The preservation of medicines and other health supplies would not be possible without proper storage solutions.

Accurate temperature control is paramount to maintain the effectiveness of medicines for future use, which is why medical agencies require cold rooms and other temperature controlled environments.

 

What will happen to medicines that are not stored within the required temperatures?

 

• Deterioration and ineffectiveness – chemical changes to medicines could make them unusable.

 

• Different illnesses or disorders – some medicines do not give recognisable clues when they break down. If a medicine that has deteriorated is taken unwittingly, the patient may experience discomfort or acquire other illnesses.

 

• Loss of investment – some medicines are not cheap. The right storage temperatures should be followed to maximise on the investment.

 

Understanding the common manufacturer’s terms for medicine storage

It is important to follow every recommended storage requirement for all medicinal products, for both industrial and commercial units. Here is some of the common medicine storage terms that should be understood:

·         Store at 2°-8°C (36°-46°F)

Some medical products can be very sensitive to heat but they should not be frozen either. “Inactivated” vaccines are most commonly stored at these temperatures. Exposing them to temperatures outside these parameters could lead to a decrease in their effectiveness.

 

·         Store frozen

Products such as “live” vaccines require storage temperatures ranging from -20°C to -10 °C as they will deteriorate quickly when they are removed from the freezer. “Live” vaccines are commonly used for diseases such as measles, mumps, rotavirus, etc.

 

·         Keep cool

Medicines and other medical products or supplies that are labelled “Keep Cool” should be stored between 8°-15°C (45°-59°F).

 

·         Store at ambient temperature

This term is not commonly used because of many variations in the surrounding temperatures. “Store at Ambient Temperature” also means to store medicines in normal conditions, with a room temperature ranging from 59°F to 77°F, depending on climate conditions.

 

·         Room temperature

Most medicines simply need to be stored at room temperature, which is between 15°-25°C (59°-77°F) but others are sensitive to extreme temperatures.

 

In general, medicines should always be kept in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight and moisture. Different instruction terms should also be considered (and followed) at all times to maximise their effectiveness.

4 Things to Remind Employees Who Work in Cold Rooms

Working in cold rooms or industrial chillers can be uncomfortable. The obvious chill factor can affect work efficiency and performance and there is also some potential health risks involved, such as cold stress.

According to OHCOW, cold stress is the body’s response to extremely low temperatures, potentially affecting both physical and mental health. Different cold-related health problems such as hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot and chilblains can harm and cause a serious impact on your health.

As the employer, thinking of your employees’ safety should always be your top priority.  Here are some of the important considerations to remind your employees:

#1: Wear proper and appropriate clothing

By reminding them on how they should be properly and appropriately equipped, you are already providing the first line of protection. Clothing should be correctly selected to suit the temperature level and duration of activity, together with the job design, to regulate the amount of heat and perspiration while working.

#2: Avoid caffeinated drinks

So, you are in a cold place and the first thing you might consider is a nice warm drink. Instead of coffee or tea, try drinking other warm fluids such as warm water, soup or hot cocoa. Coffee and tea contain caffeine which acts as a diuretic, which can lead to dehydration. It also increases the blood flow at the skin’s surface and this can increase the loss of body heat.

#3: Take sufficient breaks

Poor working conditions may lead to lower work efficiency. Our body may adjust to extreme temperatures but it will not function to its full capacity. Arrange and designate sufficient breaks which are carefully assessed. The normal working period in cold rooms is 50 minutes, which should be followed by a 10-minute resting period. (Source: FAO)

#4: Follow safe work practices

Educating your employees about working in the cold beforehand will help them to adapt so that they may avoid health risks or even accidents. Best practices include smoking restrictions and many more.

These reminders don’t just help your employees – they can also save them from serious health threats caused by cold environments. So whether they are working in an outside cold environment or a refrigerated industrial chiller, it is best that you have their health properly assessed to ensure that they are fit to work in a low temperature setting.

13 Terms Related to Cold Storage Facilities

4 Energy-Saving Tips for Industrial Refrigeration Systems

Refrigeration is one of the main causes of high energy costs in the food and drink industry. Here is an energy-saving checklist that can help you to limit industrial refrigeration costs and eventually make noticeable savings.

1.   Check the system regularly.

Checking the refrigeration system regularly can help you to discover potential problems in the system. There are several tell-tale signs that might help you to determine whether there is a problem in the refrigeration system:

• Frequent unnecessary noises
• The accumulation of ice on evaporators
• Fragments on condensers
• Bubbles in sight glasses

Check for these possible problems on a regular basis and you will be able to generate immediate solutions to prevent them from becoming worse.

2.   Avail maintenance services.

Just like any other systems, breakdowns and failures can also occur in refrigeration systems. This can result in costly repairs. Reduce the risk of system breakdowns through regular maintenance. Hire a skilled contractor that can maintain your refrigeration system. This will help to eliminate the supplementary cost of unexpected repairs.

3.   Be aware of the system controls.

Familiarise yourself with the whole refrigeration system so you can easily determine whether there is a problem or not. Aside from the components, you should also be aware of the refrigeration system controls. Some have a simple on/off switch, while other types of refrigeration systems have additional intricate controls. No matter how simple or complicated the system controls are, make sure that you are aware of how they function and work.

4.   Promote good habits.

Promote good habits whilst maximising the industrial refrigeration system. This can help to reduce a potential loss in energy costs. A very good habit to get into is to simply keep the doors and blinds of the industrial refrigeration unit closed when not in use.

If you want to invest in a new industrial refrigeration system, a reliable company like 1Cold Ltd. can help. Offering highly efficient industrial refrigeration systems that will suit your needs, if you want to learn more about 1Cold Ltd, please contact 01564 702 269.