If you own a shop and sell food that needs to be kept fresh, you will need refrigeration of some sort. There are strict guidelines in the UK stating what temperature food should be kept at and believe it or not, if you don’t stick to them, you could be caught out with a spot check by the Food Standards Agency.
Regulations You Should Know About
This can get a bit complicated, it all depends on what type of food you’re selling, how long it will stay fresh and what temperature is safe for it to be stored.
For example, there are some foods that need to be chilled below 8 degrees Celsius. These foods include butter, certain yoghurts and hard cheeses. The reason for this is foods like this can develop harmful levels of toxins or pathogenic micro-organisms.
There are also different rules for cooked meats, fish, ready meals and uncooked pastry products. The list goes on!
Confused about Where to Start?
If you’re reading this and you’re thinking about either branching out into foods, or want to start a business selling food, you may feel like running to the hills! In fact, there is no need. You just need to make sure you understand what types of fridge will do the job for you. There are loads of places you can look. The Internet is a great source of information however and what’s more, if you’re totally new to all of this, you can speak to a representative at the Food Standards Agency.
Make sure you get it Right
You have to remember that what your customers are buying is going to be consumed. This is why it needs to be stored at the correct temperature, and you should also make sure you check your stock every day. The reason for this is fridges can only do so much in terms of keeping food fresh. As with regulations on refrigeration, there are also strict guidelines on how long the shelf-life of certain foods is.
All too often, we hear the horror stories people have to tell about falling ill after eating a sandwich they bought at their local supermarket, and in some cases, a bout of local food poisoning will hit the headlines.
This is why it’s of the utmost importance you research the food you’re going to store thoroughly and ensure its properly chilled at all times.
Selling food is a great way of expanding a retail business, or, indeed, it’s a great business idea. It’s something that everyone needs every single day. After all, if they didn’t eat, it would be impossible to stay alive! The whole point here is to make you’re aware of the dangers and how vital it is to make sure the food you sell is safe and the only way you can do that is to make sure it’s properly chilled.
If you want to branch out into providing chilled foods for your customers, you won’t go far wrong with foster refrigeration. Just make sure you know how to store each different food properly and take advice from the professionals.