Modern Building Services

14 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES MAY 2023 FEATURE AIR CONDITIONING, COOLING & VENTILATION F rom price inflation of the average shopping basket to supply chain issues which have led to shortages of cucumbers and other salad items on the shelves, it is abundantly clear that these businesses are far from straightforward to run. Take the latest episode around food shortages. It is a topic that has arisen frequently since the covid pandemic sent disruptive shockwaves through supplier networks, the latest problem stemming from adverse weather conditions in prolific food producing countries like Morocco. And while the shortages do indeed highlight the frailties of food security and supply chains, what they also underline is just how important it is to avoid waste. Currently, food waste in the UK amounts to around 10.2 million tonnes every year, which inmonetary terms is worth an eye watering £20 billion. Of this, 1.8 million tonnes come from food manufacture, 1 million from the hospitality sector and 260,000 from retail, with the remainder from households. In addition, it is estimated that a further 100,000 tonnes of food (equating to 250 million meals a year) is edible and readily available but goes uneaten. Instead, this food is currently sent away for generating energy fromwaste, anaerobic digestion, or animal feed. Supermarkets, of course, have their part to play in tackling the food waste problem. Whether that involves providing better education to employees, developing more redistributing schemes or placing some responsibility back into consumers’ hands by removing some of the use by dates on produce, there are many steps being taken already. The importance of refrigeration best practice Mastering the basics around refrigeration temperatures is a critical way to prevent food from being spoiled and extending its edible life. There is also a legal imperative to do so. Supermarkets, as with restaurants and other food and drink service providers and processors, must conduct various food supply process operations within legally set temperature parameters, a reality that makes the ability tomeasure temperature across different elements of the process essential. Such monitoring activities will be dictated by a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan and typically includes temperatures relating to delivery, pre-cooking storage, or re-heating. Any supermarket food handlers should therefore be well-informed, with stores adopting suitable measures to protect not only their customers, but also their brand, employees and the wider business. HACCP is designed to protect food from biological, physical and chemical food safety hazards by applying controls that prevent direct contamination and cross- contamination. It is important to note that these hazards can be introduced anywhere in the supply chain – from production, to transport, to storage and processing in the retail store. Among the products most likely to spoil due to incorrect temperature practices are raw animal products such as meat (especially poultry), eggs, fish and shellfish – these all carry microorganisms that are harmful to the consumer. In supermarket stores, surfaces and equipment possess additional hazards to the food, and refrigerators certainly fall into this category. Dealingwith busy and quiet periods One of the most common challenges associated with supermarket refrigeration is maintaining consistent safe temperatures during periods of fluctuating demand. The pandemic period, which saw stores faced with prolonged instances of high demand, highlighted just how difficult this can be. And although the lockdown era is over, supermarkets still face crunches and pressure points in line with customer buying behaviour, making it a challenge to keep stock levels in refrigerators and cool rooms at constant levels. By JasonWebb , Managing Director of Electronic Temperature Instruments. Why supermarkets have been in the headlines frequently in recent times