That being said, refrigeration is a key component to any business in the industry. Restaurant owners need to keep food cool and safe for customers. For larger businesses it can sometimes be a challenge to find a fridge large enough for their needs, keeping it up to health standards, and many may not realise small ways they can make the most use of their fridges.
Coming in various different shapes and sizes, a commercial fridge is a perfect solution for many restaurants. You can find walk-in fridges great for businesses that have space, or stand-alone fridges that can create extra space outside your building and maximise working space back of the house for your staff.
Whichever type you have, CRS wants to make sure you’re making the most out of your commercial fridge - allowing your team to work efficiently during peak hours while serving up fresh, great food.
Let’s take a look at some simple tips that will help you make the most of your commercial fridge.
Organising
First things first, the way you organise your fridge can have a huge impact on not only the freshness of your food but a properly organised fridge can avoid cross-contamination. It will help you create space in the fridge, track your food waste, and help point out why you are throwing food away.
- Leave space between items to allow the cold air of the fridge to circulate.
- Always store meats on the lowest shelf to avoid any juices dripping off and contaminating any other foods.
- Keep all food off the floor. This is a health requirement, and it keeps food from soaking up any water that may have gathered on the floor
- Make sure the first in of any food are always the first out. When you’re stocking - put newer items in the back and move old ones to the front.
- Keep greens and berries away from fans to prevent damage
- Label everything! This includes the shelves so everyone, especially new employees or temporary employees, knows where everything goes. Also, include labels on all the food with a use-by date and the date the product was made/stored.
Cleaning
To keep commercial fridges running smoothly and safely, regular cleaning is needed. Designed for deep cleaning with removable door sills and stainless steel, simple mild soap detergent and warm water does the trick. Using products such as bleach and other chemicals can leave your food smelling a bit funky - the customers probably wouldn’t like that! Clean shelves and floors on a weekly basis to avoid spills getting sticky and creating build-up.
Maintenance
Your commercial refrigeration unit has condensers, motors, fans, coils and blades that need regular maintenance. Cleaning frequently will remove any build-up and prevent your fridge from malfunctioning. Most of these, such as the fan and coil, are simple cleans that can be done with a coil cleaner or a soft cloth.
Temperature
According to food.gov.uk, keep your fridge below 5ºC - we recommend keeping it at 4ºC to ensure freshness. Invest in a fridge thermometer so you can keep a check as the dials on fridges don’t always show the correct temperature.
Here are some quick tips to keep your fridge cool:
- Don’t touch the thermostat
- Keep doors closed and sealed as much as possible
- Clean the filters
- Create a cleaning plan
Your commercial fridge works hard to stay at the right temperature and keep your food fresh. Following these few tips are going to help you maintain your fridge to maximise longevity and use.
