Proper Commercial Freezer Maintenance and Usage for UFO Day

National UFO Day is July 2nd

Since Unidentified Flying Objects aren't a common occurrence in the foodservice industry, we decided to commandeer the term: Unidentified Frozen Objects.

We are referring, of course, to items you may find in your freezer that have turned into unrecognizable, inedible blobs. To help combat this issue, we've compiled some helpful tips to help you ensure your freezer's operation and storage is up to snuff.

Frost Things Frost - Temperature Maintenance

The first thing you should check is whether or not your freezer is properly maintaining temperature. If the temperature varies too much - both up and down - this could not only negatively affect the structure of your food, but it could also make it unsafe for your customers to eat!

An easy way to incorporate this check into your daily routine is to simply add a thermometer to your unit.

The CDN Standard Refrigerator/Freezer Thermometer measures from -40 to +80 degrees Fahrenheit and includes a target range indication so you can easily see if the temperature is where it should be. The column is non-mercuric, and it can be wall-hanging or free-standing.

The CDN Dial Refrigerator/Freezer Thermometer has a 2" dial design that measures -20 to +80 degrees Fahrenheit. It also has a target range indicator, as well as stainless steel housing.

Proper Freezer Storage: Don't Leave Your Food Out in the Cold

It doesn't matter how well your freezer is functioning if your food isn't properly stored. Our freezer-safe tote boxes are made of polypropylene, which is important because this material is much less brittle than many other plastics at below-freezing temperatures. This makes them a good storage option for frozen foods. The totes are 15-1/4"W x 20-1/2"D and come in heights of 5 inches and 7 inches. A lid is also available.

To stay organized and make sure you are using your frozen food within the proper time-frame, we recommend using dissolvable food rotation labels that eliminate sticky residue and dissolve in water for ease of use. They let you quickly label totes with contents and use-by date. Depending on your volume of frozen goods, you can choose from a roll of 100 or a roll of 250.

A Safe-T-Wrap station is another good option for freezer storage. It's a complete solution to prevent cross-contamination and ensure safe food rotation, combining safe dispensing of film and foil with an integrated dating label dispenser. Features adjustable adaptors to accommodate film or foil rolls from 12" to 18" and comes with a 1-year warranty.

Blinded By The White? Defrost Your Freezer!

Every time the ice layer in your freezer grows thicker than a quarter of an inch, it's a sign you need to defrost your freezer.The benefits of defrosting include creating more storage space, protecting the integrity of your frozen food, and lower utility bills (since your freezer won't have to work as hard when the ice is gone)!

Defrosting your freezer is easy when you plan for it:

  1. Remove all stored items from the freezer (planning is extremely important here, because you need to have space to put the stored items until the freezer is up and running again).
  2. Unplug your freezer, leaving the door open so it can thaw.
  3. Make sure you have a floor drain or a bucket for water drainage.
  4. After the freezer has completely thawed out (this usually takes a couple of hours), wipe it clean.
  5. Plug the unit back in and let it return to the correct temperature before refilling it with frozen items.

If your refrigeration unit has an automatic defrost feature (like a Volition single-door reach-in!), you should still check at least once a week that your coils are free of ice and that the water is draining properly.

And if you are able to control the times when your unit defrosts, make sure to set it during your slow periods. The last thing you want is to overwork your unit by having it try to defrost and maintain temperature because your staff is using it frequently.

Need a New Freezer? Try Volition!

If your freezer is just more trouble than it's worth, we have a solution for that too! Our Volition refrigeration line (exclusively provided by Rapids Wholesale) includes both reach-in and undercounter freezers.

The Volition solid door reach-in commercial freezers (single door or two door) offer easy temperature control, superior maintenance, and a stainless steel interior and exterior. They come standard with heavy duty coated shelves, door hinges, key locks, recessed handles, self adjusting magnetic gaskets and 4" castors which make it a breeze for moving during cleaning.

The undercounter freezers (also single door or two door) are designed to make access to your food close and convenient. For easy cleaning purposes, this undercounter commercial freezer has a stainless steel countertop, self-closing doors with recessed handles, and 6" castors for easy adjustments. They maintain temperature from -5 degrees to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Warranty: 1 Year Parts and Labor, 5 Year Compresso

Prices accurate at time of publication.

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