There are many scenarios that creates condensation around our food and that is the moisture that creates problems for food safety. This watery by-product can be cased by water dripping from a refrigerator’s fan unit, beading on the interior packaging of an improperly cooled ready-to-eat food, causing rust on metal food contact surfaces of equipment or directly on frozen raw shrimp.
Why is moisture impinging food safety? The water generated near the food causes the growth of bacteria, mould spores and can even attract potential insect harborage.
One of the most common methods that causes condensation is the warm and humid summer day, but simple common sense can save you from the horrors of condensation.
-
Keep refrigeration doors closed when not in use, wipe down ceiling tops of freezers if they are beading moisture after a delivery, keep fan unit lines clean and free of blockage, install or fix air curtains and replace door gaskets when needed.
-
Monitor defrost cycles on refrigeration units and keep products stored properly within display case load lines and off vents. Air needs to circulate properly around refrigerated products to keep them at a proper cold holding temperature, so packing them close together with no space is a detriment.
-
Do not let frozen products thaw and then re-freeze.
-
Properly cool products before they are packaged.
- Cover or properly store exposed equipment so aerosolised moisture will not collect on surfaces during cleaning.
For the full article, click here.
