What happens if the cold chain is broken? How does it affect our health and that of our customers if we suffer a break in the cold chain in our establishment? How can we detect that this has happened? What are the disadvantages of cold storage? Let’s find the answer to all of these questions.
The cold chain is a conservation system that is made up of different stages that guarantee that a frozen or refrigerated product will not lose any of its properties in the distribution circuit, reaching the final consumer in perfect conditions. Each food maintains its cold chain at a certain temperature, which guarantees that no virus or microbe damages the product that we are preserving. Therefore, when we put food in the freezer, we must make sure that nothing interrupts this process.
The cold chain must be maintained during four phases: production, storage, transport, and sale.
As the temperature of frozen food rises, the freezing process is reversed (the food thaws completely or partially). When this happens, the food begins to deteriorate, bacteria and possible viruses appear. If the cold chain is broken at any point, there is no turning back. We will also check what are the disadvantages of cold storage?
What can break the food cold chain?
Not only time is something that we must take into account when keeping food, but it is important to avoid temperature fluctuations. The cold cycle is important to prevent the loss of nutrients in food. To achieve this it is important that we keep our refrigerators at a constant temperature. A simple breakdown, a power outage… can break the food cold chain.
How do we detect that the cold chain has been broken?
Although it is not easy in frozen products and almost impossible in refrigerated products, there are some clues that can help us distinguish a product that has lost the cold chain from another in order to guarantee the health and food safety of our customers:
- The state of the packaging: if the box of a frozen product is damaged, dirty, or too soft, it can make us suspicious.
- Thawing time: a well-frozen product, below -18ºC, is unlikely to completely thaw in 90 minutes.
- Frost formation: a well-frozen food whose cold chain has not been broken does not have to have frost on the food itself or inside the box or bag (when the temperature rises, the frozen product loses water and, when frozen again, this water turns into frost). It is also common for caked blocks to form.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of cold storage?
Along with the advantages, in the following section, we will also learn what are the disadvantages of cold storage?
Main advantages of cold storage:
- Saving time in the kitchen
- Nutritional information
- Wide variety of frozen products
- The taste of frozen food is not the same.
- You can’t improvise with frozen ones
- Frozen foods are more expensive
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What is a cold storage and how does it benefit my business?
What are the disadvantages of cold storage?
The main and only drawback of a cold storage system is that not all types of products are suitable.
When freezing a food its nutritional values are not lost, both the nutrients and the minerals and vitamins that are present in the same fresh variety are maintained. For this, only one condition must be met, freeze immediately after harvest or slaughter.
What are the advantages of freezing?
- Safety and hygiene. Low temperatures kill many microorganisms and bacteria while slowing down the degradation of the product.
- Freshness
- Nutritional value
- Universality
- Economy
- All year
- Comfort
What damage does frozen food cause to the body?
The intense cold of the freezer causes some antioxidants to lose their effectiveness and food to have less flavor than fresh products prepared at home, especially if you opt for zero kilometers. There is also the danger that the cold chain has not been respected and bacteria can develop.
What are the disadvantages of cold storage?
Disadvantages of frozen food
They do not usually have the same flavor as fresh foods, losing much of their aroma
They are heavier because, in most cases, they are high in trans-fat
For me, the most important disadvantage is its nutritional value
What is food refrigeration?
Refrigeration consists of keeping food between 0 and 8 degrees, depending on the area of the refrigerator. It is the most widespread and most applied food preservation treatment, both in the domestic and industrial spheres.
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What happens to frozen meat?
One of the main problems that can affect the quality of the meat during its freezing is the loss of moisture, which in addition to affecting the appearance of the meat, also represents an economic loss due to the decrease in weight.
How to use frozen food?
Consume food before its expiration date or preferential consumption. Keep the freezer full (works best). Use special bags or plastic containers to store food. Microwave-safe Tupperware is very practical because it allows you to defrost and heat in the same container.
How to know if frozen meat is bad?
Frozen meat should not have any particular odor and only the smell of ice from the freezer is acceptable. So, it is an alarm signal if the meat, while frozen, has a strange smell, especially if it is bitter; this is an indisputable characteristic of spoiled meat.
At Natural storage Solutions Pvt.Ltd. , we manufacture cold storages for freezing with temperature ranges between -5ºC and -30ºC. These cold storages can be manufactured to freeze product that enters fresh or to keep frozen products that have already been previously frozen.
Our systems fully comply with quality standards The systems of our cold storage are designed in great detail to promptly comply with regulations and thus be able to provide an excellent experience with the product to our customers.
On the other hand, we have correct lighting, air conditioning, textile ducts, low airflow equipment, etc., with the aim of achieving an optimal environment to work with the intervention of human talent. We also have an after-sales department that is responsible for assisting you correctly 24/7, in case you have any needs. Call us and know more about what are the disadvantages of cold storage.
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