Storage Equipment - Dry and Refrigerated PDF

Storage Equipment: Dry and Refrigerated Carmen M. Pérez, DrPH, MHSN, RDN, LND Objectives Organize and properly equip a receiving area. Identify the functions of scales, pallets, and carts in a receiving area. Explain how refrigeration works to keep foods fresh. Identify the types of refrigerators us...

Storage Equipment: Dry and Refrigerated Carmen M. Pérez, DrPH, MHSN, RDN, LND Objectives Organize and properly equip a receiving area. Identify the functions of scales, pallets, and carts in a receiving area. Explain how refrigeration works to keep foods fresh. Identify the types of refrigerators used in a foodservice system. Describe basic ice machine capacity, maintenance, and sanitation. Scales Strong control point for a smart operation. Calibration: dust, dirt, and food scraps can easy clog the sensitive inner workings Good, sturdy model Floor-standing models Floor-Standing Scale Weight Concepts Tara weight- weight of the container (empty) Net weight- weight of the goods carried Gross (laden) weight – total weight: goods + container and packaging Ø Gross - Tara = Net Ø Net + Tara = Gross Ø Gross – Net = Tara Digital scales Do not perform well under extreme temperature conditions, especially to cold. 65°F to 85°F Drift - numbers shown on the digital readout drift up or down = temperature problem or a source of static electricity Scales Dial-type counter scale Hanging dial scale supermarkets Beam scale Pallets Low, raised platform on which boxes of products can be stacked and stored Square or rectangular shapes Steel, wood, or plastic 48” x 48” or 36” x 48” At least 6” from the floor Wood Pallet Plastic Pallet Steel Pallet Carts Cart = utility cart üA rolling shelf unit most often used to transport dishes and cleaning supplies. üCan hold up to 1000 pounds üMost have three shelves üMiddle shelve can be adjusted at 1-inch increments Carts Trucks Truck = hand truck = dolly = layer platforms = flat trucks üSmall, sturdy platform on wheels üDesigned to support and move heavy items üHave four wheels or swivel casters üHold 10 -15 cases Trucks Shelves Adjustable in 1-inch increments Selection depends on: üWhere it is to be used üWhat you plan to store on it Shelves 1. Open-grip wire or mesh üallow for air circulation and visibility üdifficult and time consuming to clean Shelves 2. Flat or solid üeasy to clean and extremely sturdy üeliminates the possibility of food products spilling from one shelf to others Shelves 3. Embossed üsolid but with ridges or slots on the surface to allow air circulation Refrigerated storage Transfer of heat out of an enclosed space Cold is the absence of heat Goal – remove heat Heat enters by 1. Opening the refrigerator door 2. Products stored inside 3. Door edges and rubber grommets Remove heat mechanisms Temperature Reduction Air Circulation Humidity JWBK204_Ch10_p306-336.qxd 314 7/17/08 7:51 PM Page 314 Temperature reduction CHAPTER 10 STORAGE EQUIPMENT: DRY AND REFRIGERATED ILLUSTRATION 10-8 Components of a refrigeration system. Evaporator Source: Facilities Operations Manual (Washington, D.C.: National Restaurant Association). Refrigerant Compressor Condenser When you open the refrigerator door, warm air is introduced into the cooled, enclosed space. The warm air rises and is drawn into an evaporator, a series of copper coils surrounded by metal plates called fins. The fins conduct heat to and from the coils. The evaporator coils hold liquid refrigerant, which becomes vapor (gas) as it winds through them. The vaporized gas is pumped by the compressor into the condenser (another series of coils surrounded by fins), where it turns back into liquid. As the gas is compressed, its temperature and pressure increase. The expansion valve is the small opening between the “low-pressure” (evaporator) side and the “high-pressure” (condenser) side of the system. This valve allows a little refrigerant or a lot to flow, depending on how much cooling is needed. An alternative to the expansion valve is the capillary tube, or “cap tube” for short. Here’s the difference: Expansion valves respond more quickly to temperature changes, and are best Air circulation Refrigerator relies on forced air to transfer heat. Fans inside the appliance move air around. Faster the air flows, the more quickly the heat is removed. ØDo not block the airflow. Forced-air systems 1. Ceiling-type üsingle fan is mounted on the ceiling of the appliance 2. Mullion-type üairflow system takes the air above the top shelf and discharges it below the bottom shelf 3. Duct-type – combination of the first two. Humidity Amount of moisture / water vapor in the air Relative humidity (%) – how much of its maximum water-holding capacity the air contains at any given temperature 85% = the air is holding 85% as much water as it could hold at that temperature Most food do well in 80% – 85% Buying a Refrigerator Øfinishes Øconstruction Øinsulation Ødoors Øhandles Ørefrigeration system Ødrain requirements Øaccessory availability Øwarranty Øcabinet capacity Øadaptability Reach-Ins With a door that pulls open to allow retrieval of items from inside Roll-Ins Large enough for carts to be rolled in and out Walk-In Coolers & Freezers A cooler big enough to walk into. Maintenance Clean the door gaskets and hinges regularly. Coils should be cleaned every 90 days, preferably with an industrial-strength vacuum cleaner. Try to keep containers from touching the walls of the cabinet. Use a good rotation system = FIFO First ut O t s r In Fi Specialty units Carbonated beverages machines üPremix system üPost mix system Carbonated beverages dispensers üFountain üCobra gun Cobra Gun Dispenser Carbonated Beverage Fountain Dispenser Ice Cream Dispenser Frozen Beverage Dispenser Ice makers and dispensers Large – up to 3,000 pounds ice /day Medium- up to 200 pounds ice /day Small- up to 1 pound ice /hour Ice output and quality Incoming water temperature Room temperature Factors Incoming water pressure Water quality How much Ice? 0.9 pounds /customer: quick-service 1.7 pounds /customer: full-service 3.0 pounds /customer: cocktail lounges 200 customers /day in a quick-service restaurant (fast food) = 200 x 0.9 = 180 pounds / day Add 20% - 25% (36 pounds – 45 pounds) 216 – 225 pounds / day Ice Makers Ice Dispenser Sanitation Use dedicated containers for ice. Store ice containers by hanging them upside down, far from the floor. Don’t rest the ice containers in stacks, which is unsanitary. Clean and sanitize every ice scoop regularly. Have plenty of scoops, and store them by hanging them outside the machine, not sitting in the ice. Employees must wash their hands before they scoop or bag the ice. Employees are not supposed to touch the ice at all without using clean disposable gloves. No one can eat, drink, or smoke around the ice machines. You can order ice makers and dispensers with automatic cleaning features, such as air filters and self-rinsing ice contact surfaces, or you can do it the old-fashioned way. Either way, ice that is dirty, melts too quickly, or lacks uniformity usually signals a dirty or malfunctioning machine. Here are the most common problems and ways to prevent them: Maintenance JWBK204_Ch10_p306-336.qxd 7/17/08 7:51 PM Page 332 Dirty ice Small, cloudy or broken cubes Blocks of ice stuck to bottom of bin Lack of ice Melting ice 332 CHAPTER 10 Dirty ice. Clean and sanitize the machine regularly to remove algae, slime, and mineral deposits from the water. Bin walls can be washed with a neutral cleanser as long as you are sure to rinse them thoroughly. Always remove ice with clean hands and a sanitized plastic scoop, and never use the bin as a convenient place to stash foods or beverages. Check air filter on air-cooled models at least twice a month, and STORAGE EQUIPMENT: DRY the AND REFRIGERATED wash it whenever it is dirty. Small, cloudy, or broken cubes. This usually signals a problem with the water filtration system. Perhaps the water is not entering the machine at sufficient pounds per square inch because it’s being partially blocked. Try replacing the water filter by turning off the water first, then slowly opening the filtration cartridge or canister. Blocks of ice stuck to bottom of bin. Keep the ice machine level and the drain unclogged to prevent melting ice from puddling at the bottom of the bin and refreezing to form blocks. Lack of ice. First, confirm that the electric circuit breakers (for both the machine and the condenser) are on. If it’s a self-cleaning machine, be sure it is set to make ice instead of clean; the switch may have been tripped to the wrong position. Check the sensor inside the bin; tighten it if it seems loose. Finally, inspect the water supply. A partially closed valve or insufficient water pressure can interrupt or reduce the ice-making cycle. Melting cubes. The fins on the condenser become clogged when they are dirty, which can interrupt the freezing process or make partial cubes instead of full ones. The fins should be clean enough to see through to allow the refrigerant to reach the right temperature to finish the freezing process. Inspect and clean fins at least every three months. If your machine has a condenser, it should also be cleaned regularly with a brush or vacuum cleaner. These few problems are easily handled by your staff, but there are times it’s probably