Cold Storage / Refrigerated Warehousing

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.

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