It all comes down to your ingredients. Top quality food is created from ingredients that have been safely stored with care. From receiving to delivery, proper food storage is imperative to keeping your food safe and fresh. In our Ultimate Food Storage Guide blog series, we’ll explore the different ways Cambro products keep food safe from the Danger Zone, cross-contamination and handling. Next, we examine the best ways to keep food safe and fresh during prep, cooking and serving.

1. Reduce the risk of contamination by using multi-tasking products

Decreasing handling in your preparation process is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of contamination. The less the contents of a container are touched the better! Cambro’s High Heat H-Pans™ are a multi-tasking product that allows food to go from prep to storage to the serving line. The nature of the high heat material used in these pans support both cold and hot applications seamlessly.

Another multi-tasking product is the FlipLid®, which goes from protecting stored prepped food to the serving line. Available in Camwear® and High Heat, using FlipLids during service decreases the chances of contamination and keeps your ingredients clean and organized. Choose a FlipLid with Notch to keep utensils from slipping into food, further preventing possible contamination from hands or surfaces.

2. Maintain safe temperatures

One of the biggest worries during prep and serving is temperature maintenance. Unlike Maverick and Goose, we have no interest in going into the Danger Zone. During prep, cool prepared foods to 70°F within two hours and under 41°F within four hours. We also suggest dividing food into multiple shallow High Heat H-Pans or Camwear Food Pans for faster cooling.

During service, keep cold foods at or below 41˚F (4˚C) and hot foods above 135˚F (51˚C). To support cold foods, we suggest using our ColdFest® pans, which keep food at safe cold temperatures without having to deal with messy, melting ice.

We prefer to keep ice in beverages instead! Our SlidingLid™ Ice Caddies are designed with superior insulation to keep ice cold for days, regardless of outside temperatures and humidity. Plus, the SlidingLid prevents cross contamination while providing easy access. Always use a scoop to get ice to further decrease the possibility of contamination.

3. Thaw responsibly

Thawing meat and poultry can be a messy situation but luckily our Colander Pans are here to save the day. Colander Pans sit inside a Camwear, Translucent or High Heat pan, forcing juices and melting ice to drain away from foods. As a general rule, prevent food from lingering at unsafe temperatures by never thawing food at room temperature or reheating on steamtables.

4. Keep Handwash Stations Readily Available

We’ve been telling everyone to “wash your hands” long before it became a mantra during the coronavirus pandemic. It is extremely important to have handwashing readily available whenever you’re prepping or serving food. If you need an affordable and compact solution, our 3 in 1 Handwash Station is for you. Comprised of a Camtainer®, Handwash Accessory, Easy Serve Dispenser, and Riser, employees can easily and quickly wash their hands during service.

If you have electrical capabilities and more room where you’re remotely serving, The CamKiosk® Hand Sink Cart is ideal for stadiums or events with a nearby power source. When its two 5-gallon freshwater tanks are filled, there is enough hot or cold water for up to 70 hand washings. The cart features double stainless-steel sinks, two 7.5 gallon wastewater bins, a hand soap dispenser and a paper roll holder.

Food safety and food storage go hand in hand. Mastering safe storage practices during prep, cooking and serving promote efficiency and maintains your food’s highest quality. In our next and final Ultimate Food Storage Guide blog series, we’ll explore insulated transport products to keep food stored safely no matter where you go. Contact your Cambro rep today to get a personalized food storage evaluation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ADRIANA DESIDERIO IS THE DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER AT CAMBRO.