Proper food storage plays an important role in the catering and canteen kitchen in order to meet the required hygiene guidelines. And so cold storage business is booming in the world. If you are also planning to start this profitable business, and wondering how much land is required for cold storage, you are here at the right place.
The correct storage of food begins with the receipt of goods. In summer, in particular, it is extremely important not to interrupt the cold chain in order to prevent bacteria and viruses from multiplying.
Chilled or frozen food such as meat and fish must be permanently and continuously cooled to minus 18 degrees Celsius. A maximum temperature of 4 degrees must be ensured for fresh meat and 8 degrees for milk and dairy products. The required temperatures of fruit and vegetables vary individually. For example, fresh apples are transported at 1 to 4 degrees and mangoes at 12 degrees. Temperatures between 15 and 18 degrees are required for food storage for chocolate.
In addition, the following points are essential for proper food storage:
- Your storage areas should be dry, well ventilated, dark, and cool. Storage is considered “cool” if it has temperatures between 4 and 15°C. Direct sunlight and other heat sources should be avoided when storing food.
- Food should not be stored directly on the floor. Heavy-duty shelves that are specially designed for the storage of heavy loads are best suited for gastronomy.
- You should always keep the goods covered and closed to prevent different foods from influencing each other.
- When storing food, it is best to arrange glass containers in the lower rows.
- Place the goods that expire first all the way to the front to use them first.
- Do not store cleaning agents and disinfectants together with food or packaging materials.
- When storing groceries, make sure that loose goods are kept in inboxes.
- Store raw food and prepared dishes separately. If you cannot guarantee separate storage for reasons of space, make sure that there is sufficient packaging or wrapping.
- All stocks must be spot-checked regularly (at least monthly) for expired, spoiled, or damaged goods and removed as necessary.
- Canned goods with a convex bottom/lid must not be eaten.
- Clean your storage areas regularly and keep them tidy.
- Packages that have already been opened should be kept cool in suitable containers and marked with the appropriate designation and opening date. You can choose between two types of containers: glass jars or plastic boxes.
- Glass jars have the advantage that they are odorless and tasteless, chemical-free, and extremely easy to clean. The contents of the vessel can be seen just as easily. The disadvantage, however, is the high weight.
- Plastic boxes, on the other hand, impress with their resilience and flexibility. In addition, they are easy to transport due to their lightweight. However, the disadvantages include that they are not odorless, they can discolor and be plasticized. If you choose plastic boxes, you should strictly avoid plastic materials such as PVC, PC, and melamine.
These chemical substances can get into the body from the plastic packaging via the food and have a harmful effect. In this case, it is better to use plastics such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). These are considered largely harmless.
This blog is also worth reading for you:– how much does it cost to build a cold storage in india?
How do I find the right cold storage for my area of activity?
Cold storages come in all sizes and designs. First of all, it is necessary to estimate as accurately as possible the quantity of the goods to be stored and kept fresh. Is it necessary to enter and move around in the cold storage? Should transport vehicles such as pallet trucks be used? Depending on your answer to these questions, you can install a simple industrial refrigerator or cold storage with a volume of several tens of cubic meters.
The performance of the refrigeration unit varies depending on the type and sensitivity of the products to be stored, the nature of your premises, the desired temperature, and the need to keep this temperature constant at all times.
Depending on the performance of the system, the question of energy consumption must also be asked. In this context, the thickness of the insulation plays a major role, as does the choice of insulated or non-insulated floor. You will quickly get back the amounts invested at the beginning through medium-term energy savings. Now, let’s find out how much land is required for cold storage?
How much land is required for cold storage?
If you want to start your own cold storage unit and wondering how much land is required for cold storage, well, you will be needed approx. 1800 to 2000 sq. mt. of land for a 5000 mt unit.
