A well-planned cold chain ensures that food such as fruit and vegetables stay fresher for longer and that fish and other produce does not have a chance to harvest harmful bacteria. If a cold chain is broken at any stage, food runs the risk of becoming contaminated, and a poorly-planned chain can lead to massive financial losses.
Foodborne illnesses can easily be caused by produce that has not been stored correctly, and the cold chain can help to alleviate the chance of contamination. Implementing an unbroken cold chain is important from the moment the produce is picked, caught or prepared, and for restaurants, caterers and other institutions storing large volumes of food it is essential that standards are always adhered to.
From Farm to Table
From the moment fruit or vegetables are harvested, they begin to lose nutritional value. By making use of commercial fridges and creating a cold chain, this loss can be greatly reduced. Fresh fruit and vegetables kept at a set temperature from farm to table will lose the least amount of nutrients and will have the least risk of going off.
On a base level, understanding where the food in your fridge comes from is simple; however, when dealing with large volumes of food such as in the commercial catering industry, the cold chain becomes more complex and the process is slightly more complicated.
A company such as Fridgefreezerdirect offer commercial refrigeration that can be tailored to your needs and ensure that the cold chain remains intact every step of the way. Commercial refrigeration is designed to maintain temperatures and keep produce at a required chill level despite any extenuating factors.
Avoiding Contamination
Avoiding contamination and keeping food as fresh as possible is an essential part of the cold chain and this can be more of a challenge if you are in a remote location or produce has to travel a long way to reach you. To illustrate how important the cold chain is and what a challenge it can be, Ewan McGregor embarked on a journey that showed just how hard keeping things fresh can be. Although not related directly to food, the crucial timing and temperature control factors remains the same.
By maintaining a cold chain your produce should stay fresher for longer and the chances of contamination are drastically reduced.