How we produce and store food is critical to preventing unwanted and potentially lethal harm coming to those who consume it. Contaminated or poorly maintained food production and storage areas is undoubtedly a hazard. Any business working within any element of the food processing chain must take adequate measures to ensure the highest hygiene and safety levels are achieved. Here we ask Strip Curtains Direct how to gain reasonable temperature control.
Ensuring food is safe for consumption.
Food production chains must produce edibles safe for consumption and ensure the entire product lifecycle maintains appropriate temperatures to ensure that bacteria and mould do not reproduce to become deadly to the consumer. A safe food production environment requires temperature controls that provide safe temperature control no matter what. Facilities must be protected against dangerous temperature changes, pests and unwanted contaminants.
The problems in food production environments
A busy food production facility generally means high traffic volumes, causing temperature fluctuations potentially harmful to the products they manufacture, pack, or store. If left unmanaged, this becomes a real risk for consumers.
Even when the workforce is vigilant, the temperature fluctuation when constantly opening doors will compromise the environment. Standard solid doors, whilst closed, will maintain temperatures but become impractical for ease of movement and keeping temperatures as staff enter or leave the area regularly. Temptation can be high to open doors to facilitate ease of movement for vehicle or pedestrian traffic, leading to temperature compromise in the sensitive area.
The food we consume must be produced and stored appropriately throughout its life. Installing plastic (PVC) strip curtains within a food processing facility, food warehouse or retailing facility is seen as a highly efficient way to meet the temperature control needs of the food but not disturb the smooth operational needs of the business.
Strip curtains provide adequate temperature control
PVC strip curtains are an economical, space-conscious way to maintain safe food production and warehousing temperatures. Whether providing a barrier against contamination from external weather conditions or segregating sensitive areas within a facility, the use of PVC strip curtains will help preserve safe operating temperatures.
Such curtains can be quickly installed and require no additional extended footprints. Strip curtains are also self-closing, removing the need to stop working and close after each breach. Transparency ensures good visibility for walking traffic or small wheeled vehicles to enter and leave safely. The minimum number of strips disturbed on entry makes them the most energy-efficient temperature control solution available.
Strip curtain benefits
- Reduced energy bills, with lower conditioned air loss
- Practical barriers against insects, dust and other contaminants
- Antimicrobial, bacteria inhibiting strip options
- Polar grade freezer and cold store options
- Self-closing with less interruption to traffic flow – safely improving productivity
- Lower entry space disruption than doors
- Insect and contamination barrier
- Efficient, hand-free visible entry and exit for pedestrian and vehicle traffic
- Hygienic, easy cleaning
- Strong and durable, with the simple replacement of individual strips should damage occur.
- Space-saving, minimal footprint design
- Lower cost and easier installation than many other conditioned air protective solutions
- Easily resited, flexible temperature protection
Polar and Super polar grade PVC strip curtains are designed to effectively maintain the perfect temperature-controlled environment required for freezer spaces or cold chill areas. The curtains self-closing minimal disturbance on breach ensure less opportunity for loss of conditioned air and contamination of higher adjacent area temperatures when someone enters or leaves the cold space.
Other considerations
Of course, it is also prudent to maintain stable temperatures and prevent bacterial spread in any area where food is handled or stored. Where the site is not a designated freezer or cold store requiring additional polar grading, it is still wise to use PVC strip curtains in any food production or warehousing facility to limit the possibility of harm coming to the products.
