Cold Storage / Refrigerated Warehousing
Temperature-controlled storage of perishable food products
Cold Storage refers to refrigerated warehousing facilities used to maintain food products at controlled temperatures, typically between -25°C (frozen) and +15°C (cool storage), depending on the product.
Common cold storage temperature ranges: - **Frozen**: -18°C or below (frozen vegetables, frozen fruit, ice cream). - **Chilled**: 0°C to +5°C (fresh vegetables, dairy, meat). - **Cooled**: +5°C to +15°C (some fresh produce: bananas, citrus pre-ripening). - **Tropical produce**: +10°C to +13°C (mangoes, avocados, papayas — chilling-sensitive).
Critical control parameters: - **Temperature monitoring**: continuous data logging at multiple points. - **Humidity control**: typically 85-95% RH for fresh produce. - **Air circulation**: even airflow to prevent hot spots. - **Door management**: minimize open time, air curtains for high-traffic doors. - **Pallet stacking**: proper spacing for airflow. - **Pre-cooling**: rapid removal of field heat after harvest.
For Egyptian fresh produce exports, cold storage management is a top-three area of concern. Common findings during FoodGate inspections: - Inconsistent pre-cooling temperatures. - Temperature logger placement near doors (false readings). - Insufficient cooling capacity during peak season. - Lack of separation between incoming and outgoing pallets.
FoodGate Audit verifies cold storage management during facility audits and pre-shipment inspections, including temperature data review, walk-through of storage rooms, and validation of pre-cooling procedures.