How to Store Food in a Commercial Fridge?

Understanding how to arrange food in a commercial fridge is crucial for maintaining food safety and quality. Proper refrigeration of your food is essential to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria from raw to ready-to-eat items.

It's important to keep your fridge at a temperature range of 0-5°C to slow down food spoilage and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. You can ensure your food remains safe for consumption at this temperature range.

Keeping track of the use-by dates on your food products is vital. Consuming food past its use-by date is not recommended as it may have allowed harmful bacteria to proliferate, making the food unsafe. However, food past its best-before date may still be edible, as this date refers more to quality than safety.

Managing a commercial kitchen requires meticulous attention to food storage. Organizing and storing food in a commercial fridge can significantly impact food safety, quality, and wastage. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to efficiently use your commercial fridge.

General Guidelines for Storing Food in a Commercial Fridge

Running a commercial kitchen demands strict adherence to food safety protocols, particularly when storing food in a refrigerator. An organized fridge not only ensures the safety and quality of food but also helps minimize waste.

Top and Centre Rack

Explore how to optimally utilize the top and center racks in your commercial fridge for storing ready-to-eat foods and maintaining food safety.

Ready-to-Eat Foods

Your commercial fridge's top and center shelves should be reserved for ready-to-eat foods. This includes dairy products, pre-packaged meals, leftovers, cooked meats, and salads. Keeping these items in sealed containers or properly covered is crucial to prevent contamination. Positioning ready-to-eat foods at the top ensures they are kept from raw foods, eliminating the risk of harmful bacteria transferring from uncooked to cooked items.

Preventing Cross-Contamination

Storing these items away from raw foods, especially on higher shelves, effectively minimizes the risk of cross-contamination. This separation is a fundamental aspect of food safety in a commercial kitchen. Ensure that these shelves are regularly cleaned and organized, keeping the oldest products in front for better inventory management and to reduce food wastage.

Base Rack

Learn the importance of using the base rack for raw meat, poultry, and fish, ensuring safe storage and preventing cross-contamination.

Storing Raw Meat, Poultry, and Fish

The bottom shelf of your fridge is the designated spot for raw meat, poultry, and fish. These items should always be stored in sealed containers to prevent their juices from dripping onto other foods. The rationale behind storing raw meats at the bottom is to avoid cross-contamination with other foods placed above them.

Importance of Sealed Containers

Ensuring that all raw items are either tightly wrapped or in sealed containers is imperative. This practice is not just about preventing leaks; it also helps maintain the quality and freshness of these products. Regular checks should be conducted to ensure no compromised packages or spills, which can lead to bacterial growth and contamination.

The Salad Drawer

Discover the best practices for storing fruits, vegetables, and salads in the salad drawer to keep them fresh and uncontaminated.

Storing Fruits, Vegetables, and Salad Vegetables

The salad drawer or crisper is designed to store fruits, vegetables, and greens. These should be washed before storage and can be wrapped in paper or plastic with air holes for ventilation. This storage method helps protect these items from contamination and maintains their freshness.

Keeping Produce Fresh

For optimal freshness, especially for salads and herbs, consider wrapping them in a damp paper towel before placing them in the drawer. This helps prevent them from drying out and extends their usability. Regularly check the drawer for any spoiled items and remove them promptly to avoid affecting other produce.

Expert Tips on Commercial Fridge Store Management

Running a successful commercial kitchen isn't just about cooking skills; it also involves adept fridge management. A well-organized commercial refrigerator can dramatically improve food service efficiency, safety, and quality.

Clean Weekly

Regular cleaning of your commercial fridge is not just about hygiene; it's about functionality. A weekly wipe-out helps identify any spills or food residues that might lead to bacterial growth or unpleasant odors. This practice also allows you to monitor and manage inventory effectively, ensuring nothing gets lost or forgotten in the back of the fridge.

A clean fridge provides a clear view of all items, making spotting any foods nearing expiration easier. Regular cleaning also involves checking the fridge's functionality, such as the temperature settings and seals on the door, to ensure that it operates optimally to prevent food spoilage.

Store Food Appropriately to Make it Last

Storing food in the right place within your commercial fridge can significantly extend its shelf life. Understand the temperature zones within your fridge: the upper shelves are slightly warmer, ideal for dairy and cooked foods, while the lower shelves are cooler and perfect for raw ingredients that need more preservation.

Invest in high-quality containers and always label them with contents and dates. This not only keeps your fridge organized but also minimizes the risk of cross-contamination. Transparent containers can be a boon, allowing you to see what's inside without opening each one.

Invest in a Whiteboard

A whiteboard near your commercial fridge can be a game-changer for inventory management. Use it to keep track of what’s inside the fridge, including quantities and expiry dates. This practice helps plan meals more efficiently and reduces the chances of over-ordering or wastage.

The whiteboard acts as a communication tool for kitchen staff. It can be used to note down items running low, need immediate usage, or special instructions related to food handling. This ensures everyone in the kitchen is on the same page, enhancing overall efficiency.

Preparation is the Key

Prepping ingredients soon after receiving them can save considerable time during busy kitchen hours. Chopping vegetables, marinating meats, or pre-cooking certain items can streamline the cooking process, especially during rush hours.

Storing your prepped ingredients in an organized manner is key. Use clear, labeled containers and store similar items together. This approach saves time and reduces the stress of searching for ingredients when orders are pouring in.

Purchase Premade Food

Incorporating pre-made food items like sauces, dressings, or even pre-cut vegetables can drastically cut down prep time. When stored properly, these items can be lifesavers during unexpected rush hours or when short-staffed.

Choose high-quality premade items that meet your kitchen’s standards. Consistency in flavor and quality is vital, and using reliable pre-made products can help maintain this, especially when you’re in a pinch.

Place Ready-to-Eat Food at Eye Level

Positioning ready-to-eat foods at eye level in your fridge ensures they are the first thing seen and used. This strategic placement can reduce food waste, as it encourages the use of these items before they spoil.

For kitchens that focus on health and nutrition, placing healthier options at eye level can subtly encourage their use. This can lead to healthier meal choices for customers and staff alike.

Be a Minimalist

An overstuffed fridge can lead to forgotten or spoiled items. Practice minimalism by only stocking what you need. This approach makes seeing everything at a glance easier, reducing waste and inefficiency.

Frequent inventory checks help maintain minimalism in your fridge. It ensures that everything stored is necessary and used within its shelf life, avoiding unnecessary clutter and the hazards that come with it.

Store Seafood  & Crude Meat on the Base Rack

Storing raw meat, poultry, and seafood on the bottom shelf is crucial to prevent their juices from dripping onto other foods. This practice is essential for maintaining food safety standards and preventing cross-contamination.

Ensure these items are stored in well-sealed containers or bags. This not only prevents leaks but also helps in maintaining the freshness and quality of these raw ingredients.

Grouping Ingredients Based on Proximity

Grouping ingredients commonly used together, like stir-fried veggies or burger fixings, can save significant time. This setup allows for quick and efficient gathering of ingredients, especially during peak kitchen hours.

Logical organization based on the type of food or its use in recipes helps maintain an efficient workflow. This system can also assist new staff in quickly learning the kitchen's setup.

Store Nuts, Flour, and Seeds in the Fridge

Storing items like flour, nuts, and seeds in the fridge can greatly extend their shelf life. When stored at room temperature for too long, these ingredients are prone to rancidity and spoilage, especially in warmer climates.

Using airtight containers for these items in the fridge helps maintain their freshness and prevents them from absorbing odors from other foods. This practice ensures the quality of your baked goods and dishes remains consistently high.

Final Words: How to Store Food in a Commercial Fridge

Efficiently organizing a commercial fridge is crucial for food safety, reducing waste, and maintaining quality. Implement these practices to ensure your kitchen operates smoothly and your food remains fresh and safe. An organized fridge is the key to an efficient and successful commercial kitchen.

Ancaster Food Equipment is a valuable resource for those looking to upgrade or expand their refrigeration capabilities. Our extensive collection of refurbished and brand-new commercial fridges caters to a wide range of needs and budgets. 

Whether you’re seeking a state-of-the-art model to enhance your kitchen's efficiency or a refurbished unit that offers reliability at a more affordable price, Ancaster Food Equipment can provide the perfect refrigeration solution to suit your business needs. Our expertise in commercial refrigeration ensures you get a product and a partnership that contributes to your kitchen's smooth and successful operation.