Controlling the temperature of frozen foods is the most important aspect during storage and transportation. The safety, quality and lifetime of frozen food products all depend on the correct temperature for frozen food storage.
Here are the essentials and guidelines for the ideal temperature for frozen food storage, and how we can help you to ensure your products arrive safe with Edwards Transport.
The Science of Frozen Food Storage
Before we dive into the recommended temperature range for frozen food storage, let’s briefly explore why it matters. Throughout the process of storing food produce, it is essential that you maintain a consistent temperature. When food is frozen all the water content inside turns to ice, preventing the growth of bacteria and other organisms. However, if the food freezes and unfreezes, this could not only give room for bacteria to grow, but also with the ice expanding and contracting can ruin the quality of your food.
Ideal Temperature Range
To preserve the safety and quality of products we have to keep products at particular temperatures to ensure the bacteria can’t grow. The general practice is to keep your food storage set at -18°C (0°F) as this is where most bacteria stop growing. It’s worth noting that different types of frozen foods may have slightly varying temperature requirements, but -18°C is a universally accepted standard.
Temperature Fluctuations and Their Impact
Regardless of what the ideal temperature is for your frozen produce, keeping a consistent temperature is essential as fluctuations can have a big impact on the quality of frozen foods. Here’s why:
Texture and Quality: If the temperature of frozen food is allowed to fluctuate the ice within the food expands and contracts. This can lead to ice crystals rupturing the food and damaging the cells resulting in both worse texture and taste.
Safety: Bacteria can grow in spurts once the temperature becomes warm enough, and despite being frozen again can persist within the food until it has been defrosted.
Food wastage: Food that has been frozen, thawed and refrozen can suffer from freezer burn, making the food unsellable.
How Edwards Transport Can Help
At Edwards Transport, we understand the critical importance of maintaining the right temperature for frozen food storage during transportation.
We have two modern storage facilities that consist of multiple temperature-controlled warehouses. With one site located in Eccleshall specialising in chilled storage, and another in Market Drayton, we can ensure that your goods are in the best hands.
We also offer chilled distribution to complement the chilled storage service. We focus on linking elements of the supply chain to give our clients added value and provide a complete service. Our transport service means that your valuable chilled stock remains in our expert hands to your customer’s door.
Temperature Tracking: Our refrigerated trailers offer the latest recording and tracking technology, to capture temperature data for every delivery. This ensures that the courier service to your customers is managed from end to end.
Edwards Transport is your trusted partner in this critical aspect of the supply chain, we pride ourselves on our 40 years of experience in the transport and distribution sector. So you can depend on our reliable courier service for your temperature-controlled delivery. We aim to maintain our well-equipped services to provide the highest standards. Don’t compromise on the integrity of your frozen food products—choose Edwards Transport for reliable and efficient temperature-controlled transportation and storage solutions.