What You Need to Know About Commercial Refrigeration

Commercial refrigeration plays a critical role in the success of your business. This cold storage helps to provide safe food storage temperatures that allow you to keep food and to protect the overall wellbeing of your customers. This storage can be placed in kitchens and dining facilities in the form of traditional refrigerators and freezers, in addition to walk in freezers or reach in coolers.

With commercial refrigeration, items are held at a constant temperature at all times. This allows you to extend the life of the food and the integrity it has. This means perishable foods are kept away from the danger zone for a longer period of time and can maintain their fresh, crisp taste. In the food service industry, exact temperatures are critical in order to pass food safety inspections from the health department and your commercial refrigeration is designed to do that.

On the surface level, commercial refrigeration are usually the same. They all keep a constant cooler temperature for the items in them. These units include a ventilation system for the compressor, and will alert you if the temperature goes above a specific temperature.

The truth is there are several different types of commercial refrigeration units that are available. These units are used in different situations. A reach in unit for example is designed for quick access to items that need to be chilled as part of food preparation in a restaurant. The main area where things are stored are walk-in units. These units serve as a chilled space where foods and goods are maintained until they are used in recipes or placed on the food line.

On the food line is a commercial refrigeration unit known as a prep table. Line cooks keep their perishable items here. This includes vegetables, cheeses, and other items that still need to be kept cool throughout the course of the day as they prepare food.

In cases where a more constant and controlled temperature is needed for the line, an under counter unit might be needed. These units are designed to act as a refrigeration unit in a smaller section. This might include sensitive products such as fish or similar items that can’t be maintained in a prep table cooler.

Bars may also need to have their own type of refrigeration to keep bottles of alcohol at a precise temperature for their patrons. These units are designed to house them, along with kegs and other items that can keep drinks cold until it is time to serve them.

The final type of unit is merchandiser units. These are the units that display products in stores. You might see them at a checkout stand holding soda, or in the freezer section keeping your favorite frozen meals chilled. They offer a see through glass panel that displays the items in it, so you can make a selection and have some peace of mind knowing the temperatures are being properly maintained.

Commercial refrigeration is something every business that handles food needs to consider. Keep these facts in mind and determine what your business needs to maintain the temperature of the foods you serve.