Cold storage can be helpful in many different situations. It is not a one size fits all solution, which is part of what makes it so unique to use all the time. In addition, depending on what will be stored or transported in the facility, there can be different temperatures, construction, and maintenance requirements for the cold storage facility you choose.
There are many ways that a cold storage facility can prove an invaluable commodity. Whether you want to use it for frozen foods, fresh produce, or even medical supplies, these cold storage facilities will help keep the products at the proper temperature for a long time.
Any item you must keep at a cooler temperature for health and safety reasons or products that tend to do better when stored at cooler temperatures will benefit from storage in a temperature-controlled environment. These goods range the spectrum from food to non-perishable items; some items that require particular temperatures to maintain integrity may even surprise you. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) advises consumers to keep freezer levels at zero degrees Fahrenheit to maintain the integrity of food and perishables.
But what are some of the primary uses of a cold storage facility, and why would you want to consider having one for your personal or business needs? Some of the things that you can use a cold storage facility for include:
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1. Medical Supplies
Some medications need to be maintained at cooler temperatures compared to others. This helps to keep them safe and usable for the patient.
Suppose the drug is not supported at a cooler temperature and is allowed to warm up. In that case, it is no longer efficient, and the patient or medical facility must throw it out. The exact temperature will depend on the medication you store; some of these medications need to be as low as -22 degrees Fahrenheit.
A cold storage facility can store large quantities of medication until a medical facility needs them. They need to be kept at the proper temperature to help maintain some of the integrity of the medicines and ensure that they will not expire too early.
2. Frozen Foods
Some foods are designed to be kept cold for maximum enjoyment and the highest quality. These can include foods like ice cream and popsicles. Companies must keep other foods cold during transport to keep them fresh during relocation. Regardless of the type of food, a cold storage facility will work well to help ensure the food does not melt or get too hot and cause a foodborne illness.
The minimum temperature for these cold storage facilities to be classified as deep freeze is 0 degrees Fahrenheit. For example, no one wants ice cream that had previously melted before it arrived at the store. And if certain foods, like meat, are not kept at a cold enough temperature, it can cause the customer to be sick. The proper cold storage facility will be able to help prevent this issue as well.
3. Seafood and Meat
All meat and seafood must be kept at the proper temperature, whether sitting at the store or being transported and stored before they reach the customer. When seafood and meat are allowed to warm up too much, it can result in many problems for the customer and lead to rotten beef. Even if it leaves a safe temperature for a short time, it will also increase the risk of foodborne illness.
An excellent cold storage facility will keep your food safe for as long as necessary. It will be set for the right temperature so there is never an issue with it, and you can rest assured knowing that all of the food inside will be safe for the consumer.
4. Fresh Produce
Next on the list is the fresh produce that customers like so much. While fruits and vegetables do not always need to be frozen like other foods on our list, you must keep them nice and cool to help them last as long as possible. Produce requires storage at high-temperature cold storage facilities to meet these needs; these areas exist as chillers or cold rooms.
While they do not get to the freezing temperatures necessary with some cold storage facilities, they still help to maintain a temperature-controlled environment. Most of these facilities for fresh produce will fall somewhere between 23 and 41 degrees for medium storage, which is storage for just a few weeks.
The temperatures can be slightly higher if the fresh produce is only stored for a few days, sticking between 35 to 54 degrees. It all depends on how long the fresh produce needs storage in the cold facility.
5. Craft Goods
Some craft goods will need to work with cold storage. Things like candles will need cool temperatures to ensure they will not start to melt or lose shape when the heat gets too high. The cold storage for these does not need to be super cold but cool enough to help the candles look amazing.
Books and artwork can fit into this too. While not all books and artwork need these cooler temperatures, historical documents, older paintings, and some film canisters can benefit from having the cooler temperatures help out.
6. Cosmetics
Cosmetics are another item that can use the cooler temperatures in cold storage. You can keep mass amounts of cosmetics in cold storage to help them maintain their integrity and last longer.
Cologne and lipstick, in particular, tend to do well with these colder temperatures. Other chemicals like disinfectants and reagents must be maintained in cold storage to slow down their chemical reaction process.
The Bottom Line
Cold storage is crucial because maintaining the proper temperature for stored products ensures they meet adequate safety guidelines. A failure to do so could result in consumers becoming sick, even resulting in fatalities.
In addition, they allow perishable and volatile goods to maintain their integrity and remain fresh for extended periods of time, including during transport from one location to another. Without suitable storage, products will not endure long enough to reach vendors and merchants worldwide quickly enough to meet supply and demand, resulting in shortages and higher prices, which affects everyone.
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