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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.

Desiccants are hygroscopic substances used as drying agents. They attract water-vapor molecules from the air using an absorptive or absorptive process. They’re often open dehumidification systems used for the cold storage of food products to ensure appropriate relative humidity levels. Desiccant wheel and liquid desiccant dehumidification systems are among the most common used for cold food storage because they’re more efficient, produce less heat and prevent the formation of frost. The best system for cold storage depends on the type of food stored, the location of the storage unit and its size.

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.