Medical freezers are required by many different types of establishment, for the storage of medical supplies, vaccines and medical samples. Hospitals, GP surgeries, research laboratories and pharmaceutical companies all need medical freezers in various sizes. Medical freezers also come with a variety of different features and functions, which can suit certain needs for different businesses.
In this article we look at what makes medical freezers different from non-medical freezers, and how to go about choosing one.
Medical Freezers – click here to view our range of products.
What Are Medical Freezers?
Medical freezers are very different from a freezer you might have in the home or in a food business. Their features and design are tailored to suit the medical industry, whose needs for temperatures control, access and storage are different from domestic or commercial freezers.
Medical freezers can reach much lower temperatures than domestic or commercial models and often need individual storage areas to hold different types of medical supplies that cannot sit side by side, such as blood samples and vaccines. These separate compartments avoid any bacterial cross contamination.
Medical freezers can hold many different things. For GP surgeries, chemists and pharmaceutical companies their primary need is the storage of medicines; for research laboratories they need to keep biological samples; and hospitals would need to hold all these things along with vaccines and blood.
Medical freezers have very specific features, for example:
Temperature range
Medical freezers need specific temperature ranges, which can differ to those required for general home or commercial freezers. Some medical supplies can need temperatures as low as -45C whereas others only need to be kept at around anywhere between -10C to -30C. It all depends on your particular business.
Temperature stability
As some medical supplies and their chemical components can be highly volatile, there is a need for the contents of medical freezers to stay at an exact and steady temperature. The effectiveness of some medicines and vaccines can be compromised if they are not stored correctly or if the temperature fluctuates too much. This means that visual displays and alarms to warn the user that the temperature of the unit is going out of range are very important features.
For medical freezers that can give you a very accurate temperature control you need to choose a model with air circulation grids on the base and sides. These types of medical freezers can provide temperature accuracy to within 1 degree. This can be extremely important in laboratories where substances are kept for medical experiments and testing.
Temperature stability is also aided by a fan in the medical freezers, which gives you consistent air circulation around the unit. It is beneficial if the fan will automatically switch off when the door is opened as this minimizes any loss of cold air.
As with any freezer, keeping medical freezers stocked incorrectly can affect the temperature stability. Holding too much or too little in a freezer will compromise performance so the internal design of the unit you choose is a consideration. Specific shelving and racking inside medical freezers will assist when you are storing precise packaging for medicines and vaccines.
Hygiene
With medical freezers hygiene is of the utmost importance. There is an extra need to avoid contamination of contents from other biological sources. The unit must be easy to clean externally and internally with shelves and racking easy to remove, preferably on runners, and the base in just one piece, which means it is less of a dirt trap.
Also you need to look for a model that uses an anti-bacterial condensation system, which minimize the risk of any buildup of dirt of germs from stagnant water.
Security
When dealing with medicines it is vital to think about the security of the contents of medical freezers. Only certain personnel may have access to specific drugs and vaccines in your establishment so you would need locks and/or alarms to prevent unauthorised access from external or internal intruders. If you store narcotics along with other products, medical freezers with a lockable, internal storage container may be a wise choice.
Varieties of Medical Freezers
There are a great variety of sizes and types of medical freezers available to choose from.
Chest medical freezers can reach the lowest temperatures and are ideal for long term storage where access is kept to a minimum. These can be quite large and are best if you have a lot of products to store to keep the efficiency of the unit to its optimum.
Cabinet freezers can also come in the same sizes, as chest freezers but are more suited to frequent use. They do not go down to such extreme temperatures and tend to fall in the standard -10C to -30C range.
If space is limited but you need to have some medical freezer use coupled with refrigeration storage then a combination unit is a good choice and an effective use of the floor area you have available.
If you are storing any form of combustible materials in your medical freezers then a spark proof interior is a good safety option.
The general range of sizes available for medical freezers is varied. Small cabinets are ideal for pharmacies or dispensaries whereas large cabinets would be good for hospitals as all these models can take day to day use without losing temperature stability.
Big chest medical freezers are more suited to laboratories where samples may need to be kept over a longer period of time or where floor space is not so much of an issue.
Above all, any freezer you choose to keep medical-related contents needs to be specially designed for that purpose and made by a company which understands the exacting requirements of hospitals, research labs and so on. While a restaurant may suffer financially from the loss of stock if a freezer fails, a medical establishment may be holding stock which is simply irreplaceable (e.g. test samples) or on which may depend the lives of many people (e.g. vaccine supplies).
Medical Freezers – click here to view our range of products.
Friday 9 November 2012
Monday 5 November 2012
How Well Did Britain’s Ice Making Machines Perform in Summer 2012?
Ice making machines are essential bar and restaurant equipment all year round, but if yours isn’t quite managing to suit your needs then it is usually summertime when you will notice it the most. Summer 2012 may not have been the hottest or driest on record, but Britain’s ice making machines still had to cope with high ambient temperatures and a LOT of partying this year!
The #1 Requirement for Ice Making Machines – Capacity, Capacity, Capacity
All else aside, the single most important requirement for ice making machines is to be able to ensure there is enough ice on hand at all times. And during the summer your customers will get through a lot more ice than at other times of the year.
Even in rainy summers like we had this year, summer ambient temperatures will be that much higher than at other times of the year, even if all your customers are sitting inside. Stocks of ice and ice in buckets will melt more quickly and need topping up more often. Ice in customers’ drinks will melt more quickly, and customers who don’t normally bother with ice, will be more likely to ask for ice during the summer months. Some iced drinks only become popular during the summer, such as iced tea and coffee. And some customers will take to putting ice into drinks such as cider or wine, to create a more cooling drink.
A chilled drink is simply more refreshing than an unchilled one – and customers looking for refreshment at your bar or cafe will be disappointed by a lack of ice, or having to wait for ice making machines to make a new batch of ice. And if you’re running a restaurant, a shortage of ice can even impact on the overall flow of customers if they are having to wait longer than necessary for drinks.
Luckily, high capacity ice making machines are available that will quickly and efficiently create large quantities of ice to satisfy even the most ice hungry of catering businesses. For instance, the Porkka KL301 can make up to 262kg of ice per day – that’s over 14,000 ice cubes. And if you need to ensure even more ice in reserve, this machine will stack on top of an ice storage bin. The KL301 is modestly sized in comparison to its capacity – 774mm high and less than a metre (960mm) wide – although if it is stacked over a storage bin it will be higher of course. For most large pubs, hotels and restaurants, finding space for a machine this size will present no problem, but if you have smaller premises with a high ice requirement, you may need a more compact machine.
Compact High Capacity Ice Making Machines
Vertical plate ice making machines use advanced technology to create large quantities of ice cubes in a short space of time. More importantly, they do so in a very small space. For instance, the Porkka KV150 is our smallest vertical plate cuber just 675mm high and 560mm wide, and yet it can easily produce 165kg of ice per day.
If you need maximum capacity in minimum space, the Porkka KV400 can deliver over 32,000 cubes per day. But perhaps the best combination of size and capacity is our KV270 which can make 295kg of ice per day but stands just 560mm high (easily fitting under most counters) and 750mm wide.
High Capacity Flake Ice Making Machines for Displays
When you need large quantities of ice for fresh food displays, such as fish, meat, salad or other ready-to-eat chilled foods, the summer months can be especially demanding. For food displays, having large quantities of ice on hand is not just a luxury, it is essential to keep produce at the required temperature for food safety and shelf life.
For any sort of outside catering, the higher ambient summer temperatures mean that ice needs to be topped up regularly, and it is then that businesses will notice if ice making machines are struggling. But it’s not just the summer months that can present a challenge - centrally heated restaurants and shops can pose a high ambient temperature to fresh food displays at any time of year.
To cater for this demand our largest flake ice making machine is the KF250 which can make 255kg of flaked ice per day. For smaller operations (for instance a bar that needs flaked ice on hand for cocktails, as well as ice cubes for drinks) our KF75 can still make a respectable 78kg of ice per day, while taking up very little space.
And now, even though summer is but a distant memory the winter party season is now getting going! So it is still a great time to consider whether your ice making machine needs an upgrade.
Ice Making Machines – click here for more information on our range of products
The #1 Requirement for Ice Making Machines – Capacity, Capacity, Capacity
All else aside, the single most important requirement for ice making machines is to be able to ensure there is enough ice on hand at all times. And during the summer your customers will get through a lot more ice than at other times of the year.
Even in rainy summers like we had this year, summer ambient temperatures will be that much higher than at other times of the year, even if all your customers are sitting inside. Stocks of ice and ice in buckets will melt more quickly and need topping up more often. Ice in customers’ drinks will melt more quickly, and customers who don’t normally bother with ice, will be more likely to ask for ice during the summer months. Some iced drinks only become popular during the summer, such as iced tea and coffee. And some customers will take to putting ice into drinks such as cider or wine, to create a more cooling drink.
A chilled drink is simply more refreshing than an unchilled one – and customers looking for refreshment at your bar or cafe will be disappointed by a lack of ice, or having to wait for ice making machines to make a new batch of ice. And if you’re running a restaurant, a shortage of ice can even impact on the overall flow of customers if they are having to wait longer than necessary for drinks.
Luckily, high capacity ice making machines are available that will quickly and efficiently create large quantities of ice to satisfy even the most ice hungry of catering businesses. For instance, the Porkka KL301 can make up to 262kg of ice per day – that’s over 14,000 ice cubes. And if you need to ensure even more ice in reserve, this machine will stack on top of an ice storage bin. The KL301 is modestly sized in comparison to its capacity – 774mm high and less than a metre (960mm) wide – although if it is stacked over a storage bin it will be higher of course. For most large pubs, hotels and restaurants, finding space for a machine this size will present no problem, but if you have smaller premises with a high ice requirement, you may need a more compact machine.
Compact High Capacity Ice Making Machines
Vertical plate ice making machines use advanced technology to create large quantities of ice cubes in a short space of time. More importantly, they do so in a very small space. For instance, the Porkka KV150 is our smallest vertical plate cuber just 675mm high and 560mm wide, and yet it can easily produce 165kg of ice per day.
If you need maximum capacity in minimum space, the Porkka KV400 can deliver over 32,000 cubes per day. But perhaps the best combination of size and capacity is our KV270 which can make 295kg of ice per day but stands just 560mm high (easily fitting under most counters) and 750mm wide.
High Capacity Flake Ice Making Machines for Displays
When you need large quantities of ice for fresh food displays, such as fish, meat, salad or other ready-to-eat chilled foods, the summer months can be especially demanding. For food displays, having large quantities of ice on hand is not just a luxury, it is essential to keep produce at the required temperature for food safety and shelf life.
For any sort of outside catering, the higher ambient summer temperatures mean that ice needs to be topped up regularly, and it is then that businesses will notice if ice making machines are struggling. But it’s not just the summer months that can present a challenge - centrally heated restaurants and shops can pose a high ambient temperature to fresh food displays at any time of year.
To cater for this demand our largest flake ice making machine is the KF250 which can make 255kg of flaked ice per day. For smaller operations (for instance a bar that needs flaked ice on hand for cocktails, as well as ice cubes for drinks) our KF75 can still make a respectable 78kg of ice per day, while taking up very little space.
And now, even though summer is but a distant memory the winter party season is now getting going! So it is still a great time to consider whether your ice making machine needs an upgrade.
Ice Making Machines – click here for more information on our range of products
Tuesday 12 June 2012
Cold Room Units - Which Type Is Right For Your Food Business?
Cold room units are an essential piece of equipment especially in the food industry. Whether it is food preparation, storage or you run a restaurant or hotel, cold room units provide a safe, hygienic and efficient solution for keeping your food fresh, safe and easily accessible. They provide stability of temperature and help minimize wastage. In the catering industry there are many different types and sizes of business and each will have a different cold room unit requirement. Some smaller food based businesses, such as cafes, would not require larger cold room units, but for those with volumes sufficient to be clearly beyond the cabinet option they are an excellent choice.
Here we will show you which type of cold room unit is best suited to each type of food business and suggest solutions for their cold room unit requirements.
Space available:
The first thing you need to consider when purchasing cold room units is how much space you have available.
Modular cold room units are often the most popular choice for commercial needs. These come in flat packs for assembly on the premises and are often available in a vast array of sizes. They comprise of standard sized panels that interlock easily to construct the floor, walls and ceiling of the cold room unit. You can build any size of modular cold room unit you like using these panels, to fit in with your business. Modular cold room units offer the most convenient option for most food businesses, as they are cost effective and quick and easy to install. Most restaurants or food packaging companies would choose this option especially if they had a reasonable amount of space in which to locate the cold room unit.
If space or money is not an issue then you could commission a made to measure cold room unit to be built for you. This bespoke option is more expensive than a modular flat packed cold room unit but does offer a better variety of sizes for businesses where the space available may be an unusual shape or awkward to fit a standard cold room unit into. These would be ideal in older hotels where rooms are not a standard size or shape.
If space is short but you have a mixture of foods to keep at different temperatures, for example some chilled and some frozen, then a Combi cold room unit would be for you. Combi units are split into two sections. The first is the chiller area for keeping stock cold. This then leads into a freezer area. The different rooms have their own refrigeration units and temperature controls but as they are joined they take up less space than two separate cold room units.
For large scale catering operations an industrial cold room unit would be ideal. These are often vast warehouses purpose built for the refrigeration of foodstuffs. They can store large quantities of stock and have easy access for forklift trucks. Their internal features will have been especially designed for the businesses needs often with storage on racks for pallets and wide doors to assist with stock flow in and out of the cold room unit.
Required temperature:
The temperature you need to store food stocks at is vital for health and safety and the freshness of your products. Wasting stock by keeping it at the incorrect temperature is costly and inefficient. Choosing the correct cold room unit to maximise your stock turn around and storage of goods is vital.
Different foods need to be kept at different temperatures. Pre-prepared meals, dairy items and fresh vegetables can all be stored at +6C. Meat and fish need to be kept at between 2C and 5C and frozen goods of any kind can be stored at -20C.
Catering businesses often need to store their stock at different temperatures. If you have the space and need a lot of storage then separate cold room units for chilled and frozen goods would suit your needs. A combination cold room unit will do the same but take up less room.
Modular cold room units are primarily used just for the storage of chilled food but they can also be used for freezing your food stock too.
Type of food processing:
The type of food processing your business does will also determine which type of cold room unit would be best for you.
If you prepare and cook food on your premises, which needs to be chilled down ready for long term storage in freezers, a blast chiller and freezer cold room unit is exactly what you need. A blast chiller brings the temperature of the cooked food down quickly to a safe level avoiding any multiplication of bacteria. Once the food has reached a chilled state it can then be frozen for use later. This is perfect for companies that supply pre-prepared meals for hotels, restaurants or supermarkets.
In restaurants and hotels where meals are cooked on the premises ready to serve, a modular or combi cold room unit would be your best choice. Both of these can store a variety of raw ingredients or cooked foods such as meat, fish or dairy. Combi cold room units have the ability to hold pre-frozen food such as ice cream, or freeze previously chilled stock.
If your business is processing or distributing food on a commercial scale then an industrial cold room unit that people can work inside, is what you need. Businesses that might benefit from this type of cold room units are retailers, wholesalers, hotels, restaurants and suppliers for hospitals, large canteens and cruise ships.
Requirement for trolley access:
Trolleys or cages are often used in the catering and food preparation industry for carrying trays of food before and after cooking. Rather than loading and unloading these trays individually, it is more efficient if they can be left in the trolleys and the trolleys taken in and out of chillers and cold rooms.
Although an insulated floor in a cold room unit gives you better energy efficiency, which in turn leads to lower fuel bills, having a floor creates a step in the doorway that can be troublesome when it comes to moving trolleys in and out. A floorless cold room unit will grant easy access for trolleys to enter and exit.
However a floor in a cold room unit doesn’t mean you cannot use trolleys at all. Installing a ramp at the entrance to allow access for trolleys can surmount the problem.
Ambient temperatures and frequency of access:
Two other important factors when choosing cold room units are the ambient temperature and the amount your staff will need to go in and out of the unit.
The ambient temperature is the temperature outside the cold room. The higher the ambient temperature (e.g. in warmer climates, during the summer or if located close to cooking areas) the more warmth will enter the cold room whenever the door is opened, and the harder the cold room has to work to maintain required temperatures. This affects the energy efficiency of your cold room unit and may eventually compromise the temperature within the cold room.
If ambient temperature is high and the frequency of access by staff is also high, then your cold room unit may need additional insulation by having a thicker wall, or even an insulated floor. This will add to the installation costs, but should be offset by energy savings over the longer term.
Insulated floors are often required in chiller and freezer cold room units to maintain the correct temperatures. For medium cold room units, insulated floors are not necessary. Remember, an insulated floor does impede trolley access so you have to weigh up the pros and cons for your particular food business.
If you have a business where staff need to enter the cold room unit several times in the course of a working day then a walk in cold room is a good solution. Walk in cold rooms mean personnel can walk directly into the cold room unit and shut the door behind them whilst they unload a delivery or select food stocks for cooking, chilling, freezing or defrosting. Unlike a chiller cabinet, where stock is stacked on top of each other or behind other items, walk in cold room units hold the products on shelving. This makes all your stock easy to see and easy to get to. This means goods are not forgotten and left at the back of the cold room unit and stock rotation is easier to manage, resulting in less waste.
It is important to select the right type of cold room unit as its volume, temperature range and other features will determine and limit the type of operation that a food business can support. It is important to find a manufacturer who can help you determine your requirements and give you the type of cold room unit your business really needs.
About Porrka
Porkka are experts in creating and making commercial refrigeration products such as cold room units. Our refrigeration units, cold rooms, chillers and freezers are used worldwide in commercial kitchens, restaurants, and hotels and throughout the catering industry.
Here we will show you which type of cold room unit is best suited to each type of food business and suggest solutions for their cold room unit requirements.
Space available:
The first thing you need to consider when purchasing cold room units is how much space you have available.
Modular cold room units are often the most popular choice for commercial needs. These come in flat packs for assembly on the premises and are often available in a vast array of sizes. They comprise of standard sized panels that interlock easily to construct the floor, walls and ceiling of the cold room unit. You can build any size of modular cold room unit you like using these panels, to fit in with your business. Modular cold room units offer the most convenient option for most food businesses, as they are cost effective and quick and easy to install. Most restaurants or food packaging companies would choose this option especially if they had a reasonable amount of space in which to locate the cold room unit.
If space or money is not an issue then you could commission a made to measure cold room unit to be built for you. This bespoke option is more expensive than a modular flat packed cold room unit but does offer a better variety of sizes for businesses where the space available may be an unusual shape or awkward to fit a standard cold room unit into. These would be ideal in older hotels where rooms are not a standard size or shape.
If space is short but you have a mixture of foods to keep at different temperatures, for example some chilled and some frozen, then a Combi cold room unit would be for you. Combi units are split into two sections. The first is the chiller area for keeping stock cold. This then leads into a freezer area. The different rooms have their own refrigeration units and temperature controls but as they are joined they take up less space than two separate cold room units.
For large scale catering operations an industrial cold room unit would be ideal. These are often vast warehouses purpose built for the refrigeration of foodstuffs. They can store large quantities of stock and have easy access for forklift trucks. Their internal features will have been especially designed for the businesses needs often with storage on racks for pallets and wide doors to assist with stock flow in and out of the cold room unit.
Required temperature:
The temperature you need to store food stocks at is vital for health and safety and the freshness of your products. Wasting stock by keeping it at the incorrect temperature is costly and inefficient. Choosing the correct cold room unit to maximise your stock turn around and storage of goods is vital.
Different foods need to be kept at different temperatures. Pre-prepared meals, dairy items and fresh vegetables can all be stored at +6C. Meat and fish need to be kept at between 2C and 5C and frozen goods of any kind can be stored at -20C.
Catering businesses often need to store their stock at different temperatures. If you have the space and need a lot of storage then separate cold room units for chilled and frozen goods would suit your needs. A combination cold room unit will do the same but take up less room.
Modular cold room units are primarily used just for the storage of chilled food but they can also be used for freezing your food stock too.
Type of food processing:
The type of food processing your business does will also determine which type of cold room unit would be best for you.
If you prepare and cook food on your premises, which needs to be chilled down ready for long term storage in freezers, a blast chiller and freezer cold room unit is exactly what you need. A blast chiller brings the temperature of the cooked food down quickly to a safe level avoiding any multiplication of bacteria. Once the food has reached a chilled state it can then be frozen for use later. This is perfect for companies that supply pre-prepared meals for hotels, restaurants or supermarkets.
In restaurants and hotels where meals are cooked on the premises ready to serve, a modular or combi cold room unit would be your best choice. Both of these can store a variety of raw ingredients or cooked foods such as meat, fish or dairy. Combi cold room units have the ability to hold pre-frozen food such as ice cream, or freeze previously chilled stock.
If your business is processing or distributing food on a commercial scale then an industrial cold room unit that people can work inside, is what you need. Businesses that might benefit from this type of cold room units are retailers, wholesalers, hotels, restaurants and suppliers for hospitals, large canteens and cruise ships.
Requirement for trolley access:
Trolleys or cages are often used in the catering and food preparation industry for carrying trays of food before and after cooking. Rather than loading and unloading these trays individually, it is more efficient if they can be left in the trolleys and the trolleys taken in and out of chillers and cold rooms.
Although an insulated floor in a cold room unit gives you better energy efficiency, which in turn leads to lower fuel bills, having a floor creates a step in the doorway that can be troublesome when it comes to moving trolleys in and out. A floorless cold room unit will grant easy access for trolleys to enter and exit.
However a floor in a cold room unit doesn’t mean you cannot use trolleys at all. Installing a ramp at the entrance to allow access for trolleys can surmount the problem.
Ambient temperatures and frequency of access:
Two other important factors when choosing cold room units are the ambient temperature and the amount your staff will need to go in and out of the unit.
The ambient temperature is the temperature outside the cold room. The higher the ambient temperature (e.g. in warmer climates, during the summer or if located close to cooking areas) the more warmth will enter the cold room whenever the door is opened, and the harder the cold room has to work to maintain required temperatures. This affects the energy efficiency of your cold room unit and may eventually compromise the temperature within the cold room.
If ambient temperature is high and the frequency of access by staff is also high, then your cold room unit may need additional insulation by having a thicker wall, or even an insulated floor. This will add to the installation costs, but should be offset by energy savings over the longer term.
Insulated floors are often required in chiller and freezer cold room units to maintain the correct temperatures. For medium cold room units, insulated floors are not necessary. Remember, an insulated floor does impede trolley access so you have to weigh up the pros and cons for your particular food business.
If you have a business where staff need to enter the cold room unit several times in the course of a working day then a walk in cold room is a good solution. Walk in cold rooms mean personnel can walk directly into the cold room unit and shut the door behind them whilst they unload a delivery or select food stocks for cooking, chilling, freezing or defrosting. Unlike a chiller cabinet, where stock is stacked on top of each other or behind other items, walk in cold room units hold the products on shelving. This makes all your stock easy to see and easy to get to. This means goods are not forgotten and left at the back of the cold room unit and stock rotation is easier to manage, resulting in less waste.
It is important to select the right type of cold room unit as its volume, temperature range and other features will determine and limit the type of operation that a food business can support. It is important to find a manufacturer who can help you determine your requirements and give you the type of cold room unit your business really needs.
About Porrka
Porkka are experts in creating and making commercial refrigeration products such as cold room units. Our refrigeration units, cold rooms, chillers and freezers are used worldwide in commercial kitchens, restaurants, and hotels and throughout the catering industry.
Wednesday 6 June 2012
Cold Room Storage - 5 Signs That Your Business Needs More Than Just a Fridge
Deciding if you need cold room storage is something any business involved in the preparing or processing of food needs to think about. Large business organisations such as hotels and restaurants need chilling facilities for foodstuffs and cold room storage is often the answer when a cabinet fridge or freezer can no longer satisfy their needs.
The beauty of cold room storage is that it provides walk in facilities that can house large quantities of food and perishables making them easy to view. Cold room storage will also keep food at steady temperatures for either chilling or freezing.
There are a variety of cold room storage options available each with their own unique features and benefits. Modular cold rooms are made so they can often fit into tight spaces and are quick and easy to assemble. This makes them a good solution for medium sized businesses when a commercial fridge or freezer can no longer deal with the volume of produce they store. Combi- cold rooms have both a chiller and freezer compartment, which is perfect when you need to hold a very large quantity of products at different temperatures.
Industrial cold rooms are custom made to suit the individual requirements of the business but are often vast, some even the size of a warehouse and used in major commercial situations.
If your business is involved in food preparation then you will almost certainly have a variety of commercial refrigerators and freezers - and for some types of small business this may be perfectly adequate. But when does a cabinet fridge or freezer stop being a suitable solution and a cold room become necessary? Here we look at 5 signs that it could be time to move over to cold room storage.
Large overall volume
Cold room storage has the advantage over fridge or freezer cabinets due to its sheer size. Cold rooms of all types can hold a bigger volume of produce making it useful for kitchens in large hotels and restaurants, schools, hospitals and industrial food processing. Cold rooms have a storage capacity far bigger than a standard commercial refrigerator and can cope with huge quantities of foodstuffs without compromising the temperature in the room and ultimately the temperature of the products inside. This regularity of temperature maintains the overall condition and lifespan of the produce kept in cold room storage.
However you do need to consider both the chill volume and freezer volume of the foods you wish to store and any movement between the two. Frozen food will need to be thawed out safely and food that has been cooked will need to be chilled and then perhaps frozen at the correct temperatures.
A Combi cold room gives you both chiller and freezer compartments, the ratio of space allocated to each part can be altered to suit your needs. If required the chiller unit can be substituted for medium temperature units. They come with shelving to assist storage and stock control. Chiller sections can be supplied with either flooring or without to enable trolleys to be loaded inside.
Large items
If you increasingly find yourself running out of space due to the storage of large items in your commercial refrigerator then this is a sign you need to switch to cold room storage. Some pieces of meat, such as large joints or whole sides of an animal would not fit in a traditional fridge or freezer cabinet. Other goods are sometimes delivered boxed and have to be unpacked into cabinets, which can compromise the temperature of the unit. Boxed items like fish, fruit or vegetables can be unloaded in a cold room or kept in the box and just placed on a shelf directly. Cold room storage is also ideal to put large cooking containers onto shelves to chill down their contents quickly and efficiently.
For really large items, industrial cold rooms can store entire pallets of food products. This cold room storage is sometimes used for plants, flowers, and crops and companies that process meat and fish where a large area is needed not only for storage but for food preparation too.
Ease of access
One of the main advantages of cold room storage, whatever its size, is the ease of access for staff. Having a walk in facility makes it so much easier to see what is in the cold room. In fridge or freezer cabinets items of stock can be hidden behind each other but with the shelving in a cold room products can be placed individually. This aids good stock control and rotation for your company and means staff can easily access what they need without having to open and close multiple cabinets, which affects temperature regulation.
If space is tight it’s also good to choose cold room storage where the doors can be hung to open and close either to the left hand or the right hand as this will also make access easier.
Taking deliveries is easier with cold room storage too as boxed items can just be put straight on to shelves and stored in their packaging rather than unloaded into cabinets.
Need for temperature stability
Whether chilling or freezing for commercial purposes the need for a constant temperature is paramount. With cabinet refrigerators and freezers warm air flows into the unit every time the door is opened, threatening temperature stability. This can be critical for some foods such as ice cream as it will affect the quality of the produce but it can also compromise food safety when dealing with foods such as fish or meat. If the temperature varies and is not kept under control then this could lead to you losing expensive produce and affect your stock levels. If cold storage is being used for medical supplies then the consistency of the temperature is vital to maintain the chemical structure of the medicines or samples.
With cold room storage it is possible to close the door while you go inside, to review stock, unload deliveries, discuss menus and check off orders without compromising the temperature of the cold room. Of course with staff members inside a cold room safety is very important to avoid being trapped inside. You need to choose a model with strong hinges on the doors and handles that will lock to keep stock secure but has an easy emergency release mechanism to allow personnel to leave.
As produce is kept against the actual walls of a cold room, rather than stacked on top or behind each other, any warmth they give off whilst chilling is extracted over the door of the room. This means the temperature is affected to the absolute minimum.
Need for trolley access
Some large cold room storage can accommodate trolleys and these are ideal for big commercial food processing companies where food is cooked in trays, stored on a trolley but then can be taken straight into a cold room without having to be unloaded.
For trolleys to be wheeled in and out, the cold room you choose needs to be floorless so there is no difference in level between the cold room and the floor of your premises.
An insulating floor is required for freezer and medium temperature rooms so if you do wish to use trolleys then the problem can be surmounted in two ways. The original floor level can be raised for the portion of the floor where the freezer room will be located or a ramp can be placed at the entrance to allow trolleys to be moved in and out.
About Porkka
Porkka specialises in cold room storage including cold rooms, cabinet refrigerators and freezer units for industrial and commercial use.
We can use our knowledge to advise you on the correct cold room for your business and advise you on all the points mentioned above such as temperature control, volume, capacity and access. Porkka have a range of over 300 modular cold rooms, in a variety of storage volumes and sizes.
The beauty of cold room storage is that it provides walk in facilities that can house large quantities of food and perishables making them easy to view. Cold room storage will also keep food at steady temperatures for either chilling or freezing.
There are a variety of cold room storage options available each with their own unique features and benefits. Modular cold rooms are made so they can often fit into tight spaces and are quick and easy to assemble. This makes them a good solution for medium sized businesses when a commercial fridge or freezer can no longer deal with the volume of produce they store. Combi- cold rooms have both a chiller and freezer compartment, which is perfect when you need to hold a very large quantity of products at different temperatures.
Industrial cold rooms are custom made to suit the individual requirements of the business but are often vast, some even the size of a warehouse and used in major commercial situations.
If your business is involved in food preparation then you will almost certainly have a variety of commercial refrigerators and freezers - and for some types of small business this may be perfectly adequate. But when does a cabinet fridge or freezer stop being a suitable solution and a cold room become necessary? Here we look at 5 signs that it could be time to move over to cold room storage.
Large overall volume
Cold room storage has the advantage over fridge or freezer cabinets due to its sheer size. Cold rooms of all types can hold a bigger volume of produce making it useful for kitchens in large hotels and restaurants, schools, hospitals and industrial food processing. Cold rooms have a storage capacity far bigger than a standard commercial refrigerator and can cope with huge quantities of foodstuffs without compromising the temperature in the room and ultimately the temperature of the products inside. This regularity of temperature maintains the overall condition and lifespan of the produce kept in cold room storage.
However you do need to consider both the chill volume and freezer volume of the foods you wish to store and any movement between the two. Frozen food will need to be thawed out safely and food that has been cooked will need to be chilled and then perhaps frozen at the correct temperatures.
A Combi cold room gives you both chiller and freezer compartments, the ratio of space allocated to each part can be altered to suit your needs. If required the chiller unit can be substituted for medium temperature units. They come with shelving to assist storage and stock control. Chiller sections can be supplied with either flooring or without to enable trolleys to be loaded inside.
Large items
If you increasingly find yourself running out of space due to the storage of large items in your commercial refrigerator then this is a sign you need to switch to cold room storage. Some pieces of meat, such as large joints or whole sides of an animal would not fit in a traditional fridge or freezer cabinet. Other goods are sometimes delivered boxed and have to be unpacked into cabinets, which can compromise the temperature of the unit. Boxed items like fish, fruit or vegetables can be unloaded in a cold room or kept in the box and just placed on a shelf directly. Cold room storage is also ideal to put large cooking containers onto shelves to chill down their contents quickly and efficiently.
For really large items, industrial cold rooms can store entire pallets of food products. This cold room storage is sometimes used for plants, flowers, and crops and companies that process meat and fish where a large area is needed not only for storage but for food preparation too.
Ease of access
One of the main advantages of cold room storage, whatever its size, is the ease of access for staff. Having a walk in facility makes it so much easier to see what is in the cold room. In fridge or freezer cabinets items of stock can be hidden behind each other but with the shelving in a cold room products can be placed individually. This aids good stock control and rotation for your company and means staff can easily access what they need without having to open and close multiple cabinets, which affects temperature regulation.
If space is tight it’s also good to choose cold room storage where the doors can be hung to open and close either to the left hand or the right hand as this will also make access easier.
Taking deliveries is easier with cold room storage too as boxed items can just be put straight on to shelves and stored in their packaging rather than unloaded into cabinets.
Need for temperature stability
Whether chilling or freezing for commercial purposes the need for a constant temperature is paramount. With cabinet refrigerators and freezers warm air flows into the unit every time the door is opened, threatening temperature stability. This can be critical for some foods such as ice cream as it will affect the quality of the produce but it can also compromise food safety when dealing with foods such as fish or meat. If the temperature varies and is not kept under control then this could lead to you losing expensive produce and affect your stock levels. If cold storage is being used for medical supplies then the consistency of the temperature is vital to maintain the chemical structure of the medicines or samples.
With cold room storage it is possible to close the door while you go inside, to review stock, unload deliveries, discuss menus and check off orders without compromising the temperature of the cold room. Of course with staff members inside a cold room safety is very important to avoid being trapped inside. You need to choose a model with strong hinges on the doors and handles that will lock to keep stock secure but has an easy emergency release mechanism to allow personnel to leave.
As produce is kept against the actual walls of a cold room, rather than stacked on top or behind each other, any warmth they give off whilst chilling is extracted over the door of the room. This means the temperature is affected to the absolute minimum.
Need for trolley access
Some large cold room storage can accommodate trolleys and these are ideal for big commercial food processing companies where food is cooked in trays, stored on a trolley but then can be taken straight into a cold room without having to be unloaded.
For trolleys to be wheeled in and out, the cold room you choose needs to be floorless so there is no difference in level between the cold room and the floor of your premises.
An insulating floor is required for freezer and medium temperature rooms so if you do wish to use trolleys then the problem can be surmounted in two ways. The original floor level can be raised for the portion of the floor where the freezer room will be located or a ramp can be placed at the entrance to allow trolleys to be moved in and out.
About Porkka
Porkka specialises in cold room storage including cold rooms, cabinet refrigerators and freezer units for industrial and commercial use.
We can use our knowledge to advise you on the correct cold room for your business and advise you on all the points mentioned above such as temperature control, volume, capacity and access. Porkka have a range of over 300 modular cold rooms, in a variety of storage volumes and sizes.
Thursday 31 May 2012
Commercial Freezers – 9 Questions for Choosing the Right Type of Freezer for Your Business
There are a huge number of different types of commercial freezer on the market. All commercial freezers are intended to do a very specific job so choosing between them can be daunting. Commercial freezers have so many options including: light or heavy duty, solid or glass doors, upright, chest or low level, cabinets or walk in rooms and freezer only or a chill and freeze version.
To cut through the confusion of buying a commercial freezer you need to be clear about your requirements and how and where your freezer is actually going to be used.
There are the 9 key questions you need to ask yourself when buying a commercial freezer.
What temperature range is needed for the contents?
The first thing to consider is what type of goods you will be freezing as this will determine the temperature range you need from your commercial freezer. Light duty chest freezers and under counter freezers tend to provide a colder operational temperature range of -18 to -24C and -15 to -25C respectively. These are good for storing items over a longer period of time.
Upright freezers tend to be slightly warmer and more suited to short term use. A light duty upright freezer will operate between -18 and -20C as will an Arctic Counter freezer, which gives you worktop space with a freezer underneath which is ideal when space is tight.
Different types of foods need different temperatures when being frozen. All frozen foods should have a core temperature of at least -18C to retain freshness and kill any bacteria but some meats and fish are better kept at lower temperatures.
How much produce do you need to freeze?
How much you need to freeze will also help you determine what size of commercial freezer to purchase. You need to have sufficient space for your produce, as this is vitally important to the efficient running of your commercial freezer. The space between the produce is also very important, as this will allow air to circulate within the freezer and help maintain a consistent temperature.
Over filling the freezer can compromise temperature evenness and it also makes it difficult for staff to access produce quickly. Storage baskets or shelves will help here to not only keep products separate but to maintain air flow and help staff see instantly what the freezer contains.
What is the ambient temperature?
The ambient temperature is the average air temperature in the room the freezer will be kept in. Commercial freezers are designed to operate within specific ambient temperatures so if this temperature is significantly higher or lower than the freezer is designed for, it will experience difficulty in maintaining it’s own internal temperature. An incorrect ambient temperature may cause your freezer to use more power than necessary, which will affect its energy efficiency.
The type of door on your commercial freezer is a factor when considering ambient temperature and energy efficiency. There is a choice between solid or glass doors. Glass door freezers cope with ambient temperatures of up to 32C, whereas solid door freezers can deal with temperatures of up to 43C.
Upright freezers can be supplied with either solid or glass doors.
How often will the freezer be opened?
If you are looking for long term storage from your commercial freezer and you don’t need to open and close the doors very often then a chest freezer with solid doors, large capacity and lower standard temperatures would be ideal.
Light duty upright freezers with a glass door for ease of display are better for a retail environment where you would need to frequently open the unit.
Under counter freezers are good for small cafés and retail units where you need to open the freezer on a regular basis but do not have a lot of floor space.
How much space do you have?
The amount of space you have is another major factor when choosing a commercial freezer. Floor footprint and height are both key elements depending upon the type of business you are running and the space you have available.
Chest freezers are more suited to medium to big businesses where a larger amount of stock needs to be kept frozen. Chest freezers can come in a range of widths from 1050mm to 1800mm. They usually have a standard depth of 730mm.
Upright models take up less floor space than chest freezers so are suited to cafes, smaller shops and restaurants.
For under counter freezers height rather than footprint is a bigger consideration if the freezer is to fit under something like a bench or worktop.
Does the freezer need to be mobile?
For outside catering events such as weddings, music festivals, summer fêtes and parties you may require your commercial freezer to be mobile. Arctic Counters are ideal for this situation.
An Arctic Counter commercial freezer gives you a useful worktop area over the actual freezer unit, which contains internal shelves for easy storage of goods. They often come in a choice of widths and are mounted on castors so can be taken anywhere they are needed either outside or within the work environment.
Do contents need to be frozen quickly?
If your business is about cooking and preparing food at room temperature and then freezing it for storage then you may want to consider a blast freezer.
Blast freezers will freeze cooked food very quickly and cut down on the length of time it stays at mid-range temperatures where there is the greatest risk of bacteria being formed. Reducing this risk of bacteria being produced is not only wise for food safety but the shelf life of the food is lengthened.
To comply with HACCP regulations you need a blast freezer that has a microprocessor control unit to monitor usage and provide a record of storage.
Blast freezers are rated by freezing capacity and the volume of goods the freezer can hold. They can range from just holding a few kilograms of food to large models that will take in excess of 50 kilograms of frozen product.
Do contents need to be visible?
In a retail setting, such as a café, shop or restaurant, the stock in your freezer may need to be visible to staff and customers alike.
Here you need to choose an upright freezer with glass doors so staff can easily locate products or customers can see the goods on offer, for example ice creams.
Freezers with glass doors do however tend to be less energy efficient than those with solid doors so only choose a glass door model if your type of business absolutely demands it.
Do you need a chiller too?
As well as freezing food you may need to thaw it too, especially if it is produce that cannot be eaten or cooked from frozen.
If this is the case you may want to think about purchasing a blast chiller along with your commercial freezer. Blast chillers bring cooked food down to a lower temperature ready for freezing and bring frozen food up to a thawed state ready for cooking.
An additional benefit of a blast chiller is that when not being used for chilling they can be used for extra storage. Do make sure you find a model that meets with European regulations on food hygiene.
Once you have considered all your requirements it then makes sense to look for other features such as price and reliability. You would be wise to choose a manufacturer who can supply the full range of types of commercial freezer and can discuss your requirements with you.
About Porkka
Commercial Freezers for Sale - Porkka design and manufacture a range of commercial refrigeration products including commercial freezers and refrigerators, arctic counters, blast chillers, modular cold rooms, medical and laboratory fridges and more
To cut through the confusion of buying a commercial freezer you need to be clear about your requirements and how and where your freezer is actually going to be used.
There are the 9 key questions you need to ask yourself when buying a commercial freezer.
What temperature range is needed for the contents?
The first thing to consider is what type of goods you will be freezing as this will determine the temperature range you need from your commercial freezer. Light duty chest freezers and under counter freezers tend to provide a colder operational temperature range of -18 to -24C and -15 to -25C respectively. These are good for storing items over a longer period of time.
Upright freezers tend to be slightly warmer and more suited to short term use. A light duty upright freezer will operate between -18 and -20C as will an Arctic Counter freezer, which gives you worktop space with a freezer underneath which is ideal when space is tight.
Different types of foods need different temperatures when being frozen. All frozen foods should have a core temperature of at least -18C to retain freshness and kill any bacteria but some meats and fish are better kept at lower temperatures.
How much produce do you need to freeze?
How much you need to freeze will also help you determine what size of commercial freezer to purchase. You need to have sufficient space for your produce, as this is vitally important to the efficient running of your commercial freezer. The space between the produce is also very important, as this will allow air to circulate within the freezer and help maintain a consistent temperature.
Over filling the freezer can compromise temperature evenness and it also makes it difficult for staff to access produce quickly. Storage baskets or shelves will help here to not only keep products separate but to maintain air flow and help staff see instantly what the freezer contains.
What is the ambient temperature?
The ambient temperature is the average air temperature in the room the freezer will be kept in. Commercial freezers are designed to operate within specific ambient temperatures so if this temperature is significantly higher or lower than the freezer is designed for, it will experience difficulty in maintaining it’s own internal temperature. An incorrect ambient temperature may cause your freezer to use more power than necessary, which will affect its energy efficiency.
The type of door on your commercial freezer is a factor when considering ambient temperature and energy efficiency. There is a choice between solid or glass doors. Glass door freezers cope with ambient temperatures of up to 32C, whereas solid door freezers can deal with temperatures of up to 43C.
Upright freezers can be supplied with either solid or glass doors.
How often will the freezer be opened?
If you are looking for long term storage from your commercial freezer and you don’t need to open and close the doors very often then a chest freezer with solid doors, large capacity and lower standard temperatures would be ideal.
Light duty upright freezers with a glass door for ease of display are better for a retail environment where you would need to frequently open the unit.
Under counter freezers are good for small cafés and retail units where you need to open the freezer on a regular basis but do not have a lot of floor space.
How much space do you have?
The amount of space you have is another major factor when choosing a commercial freezer. Floor footprint and height are both key elements depending upon the type of business you are running and the space you have available.
Chest freezers are more suited to medium to big businesses where a larger amount of stock needs to be kept frozen. Chest freezers can come in a range of widths from 1050mm to 1800mm. They usually have a standard depth of 730mm.
Upright models take up less floor space than chest freezers so are suited to cafes, smaller shops and restaurants.
For under counter freezers height rather than footprint is a bigger consideration if the freezer is to fit under something like a bench or worktop.
Does the freezer need to be mobile?
For outside catering events such as weddings, music festivals, summer fêtes and parties you may require your commercial freezer to be mobile. Arctic Counters are ideal for this situation.
An Arctic Counter commercial freezer gives you a useful worktop area over the actual freezer unit, which contains internal shelves for easy storage of goods. They often come in a choice of widths and are mounted on castors so can be taken anywhere they are needed either outside or within the work environment.
Do contents need to be frozen quickly?
If your business is about cooking and preparing food at room temperature and then freezing it for storage then you may want to consider a blast freezer.
Blast freezers will freeze cooked food very quickly and cut down on the length of time it stays at mid-range temperatures where there is the greatest risk of bacteria being formed. Reducing this risk of bacteria being produced is not only wise for food safety but the shelf life of the food is lengthened.
To comply with HACCP regulations you need a blast freezer that has a microprocessor control unit to monitor usage and provide a record of storage.
Blast freezers are rated by freezing capacity and the volume of goods the freezer can hold. They can range from just holding a few kilograms of food to large models that will take in excess of 50 kilograms of frozen product.
Do contents need to be visible?
In a retail setting, such as a café, shop or restaurant, the stock in your freezer may need to be visible to staff and customers alike.
Here you need to choose an upright freezer with glass doors so staff can easily locate products or customers can see the goods on offer, for example ice creams.
Freezers with glass doors do however tend to be less energy efficient than those with solid doors so only choose a glass door model if your type of business absolutely demands it.
Do you need a chiller too?
As well as freezing food you may need to thaw it too, especially if it is produce that cannot be eaten or cooked from frozen.
If this is the case you may want to think about purchasing a blast chiller along with your commercial freezer. Blast chillers bring cooked food down to a lower temperature ready for freezing and bring frozen food up to a thawed state ready for cooking.
An additional benefit of a blast chiller is that when not being used for chilling they can be used for extra storage. Do make sure you find a model that meets with European regulations on food hygiene.
Once you have considered all your requirements it then makes sense to look for other features such as price and reliability. You would be wise to choose a manufacturer who can supply the full range of types of commercial freezer and can discuss your requirements with you.
About Porkka
Commercial Freezers for Sale - Porkka design and manufacture a range of commercial refrigeration products including commercial freezers and refrigerators, arctic counters, blast chillers, modular cold rooms, medical and laboratory fridges and more
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