Is your restaurant or food business busy preparing sumptuous menu items for the holidays? In Canada and the US, many customers continue to order traditional meals that involve red meats over the holidays, despite the growing meatless/vegetarian trend. According to the Canadian Institute of Food Safety, red meats such as beef, veal, lamb, and pork should be prioritized in refrigerated storage because they only last two hours at room temperature before they must be thrown away. In general, the Canadian Institute of Food Safety says red meat products should be stored in the refrigerator at 4°C / 40°F or below, or in the freezer at -18°C / 0°F or below to prevent spoilage.
As well, red meat experts recommend that uncooked red meats be stored on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator, as far away from cooked foods as possible. This is because the juices from raw meats could potentially “drip onto ready-to-eat foods and contaminate them”, if they are stored too closely together. If raw meats are grinded in-house at the grocer or in a restaurant then they should be refrigerated and consumed within 24 hours. If they are not expected to be used within 24 hours then they should be stored in the freezer instead.
In terms of organizing meat products inside a walk-in cooler or freezer, the Canadian Institute of Food Safety says it is important to not overstock cold storage units with raw meat products because doing so could prevent cold air from circulating. Businesses are advised to not order more products than what their refrigerator system can handle, or obtain the necessary temporary cold storage space to accommodate excess products.
At Coolmate Rentals, we specialize in providing grocers, restaurants, and caterers in the Toronto area with commercial refrigeration rentals. If you or your business requires event fridge rental this holiday, you can always rely on Coolmate Rentals to provide you with the right solution. Our fleet of walk-in coolers and freezers range from 6’ to 16’ in size to accommodate a broad range of business needs. Our units are clean and professional looking and they are available for rent on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Please contact Coolmate Rentals today to secure your trailer for the holidays.