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In addition to temperatures within cold storage units and warehouses, moisture levels are of considerable importance. When relative humidity levels are too dry, goods dehydrate and shrink. When condensation levels are too high, electronics may experience problems, goods deteriorate and products may experience mold, bacterial or insect contaminations that may pose health risks to workers and consumers. By being proactive about condensation prevention, you will protect the safety of the goods processed and worker health, as well as extend the life of equipment.

Consumers rely on food processing and storage facilities to ensure the ideal environmental conditions for produce from the moment it’s picked at the field to the time it reaches a grocery store. When it comes to cold storage, humidity and temperature levels are among the most important considerations to prolong the life of fruits and vegetables. When environmental conditions are not ideal, produce deteriorates and becomes potentially harmful to consumers.

Food packaging for the purposes of preservation and transport is a practice that dates back to ancient civilizations. In today’s industrial food processing world, food packaging is presentational and technical. The presentational aspects relate to brand recognition and visually appealing to customers. The technical aspects are more important, as they provide condensation prevention, extend the shelf life of goods and help protect the health of consumers. By properly protecting food packaging that’s in cold storage and selecting the appropriate types of packaging, processing and manufacturing facilities will experience fewer food-related losses and greater levels of consumer satisfaction.

Much attention goes to the proper storage environment for raw foods, such as meat and vegetables. Baking ingredients have a shelf life, too, as well as the potential to spoil and not work as effectively when storage conditions are not ideal. By practicing proper humidity control for baked goods and following storage recommendations, you’ll maximize the shelf life of ingredients, reduce waste and ensure the quality of manufactured products.

One of the biggest risks in food storage and processing facilities is pests, particularly insects. Insects, or pantry pests, are often drawn to powdered goods and dried foods like beans, nuts, flour, cornmeal, cured meats, pet food and seeds. While insect dangers are most prominent in powdered goods with opened packaging, pests are capable of penetrating unopened packages made of thin cardboard, paper, cellophane, plastic and foil. By knowing which insects are most likely to contaminate dried food products, you can take steps to effectively prevent and control an infestation.