Whether you run a restaurant, grocery store, or butcher shop, you'll need cold storage for your bulk raw meat. Improper refrigeration and freezing could cause microorganisms to grow on the food and spoil it prematurely or cross-contaminate other food. Protect your products and keep your customers healthy by following these meat storage safety tips. 

How to Properly Store Meat 

1. Handle the Meat With Care

If you're preparing meat for cold storage in your commercial kitchen, it's vital to ensure your space is clean and ready to accommodate raw beef, chicken, pork, and seafood. These products can contain E. coli, Salmonella, and other harmful bacteria that can contaminate anything they touch. An excellent food safety tip for commercial businesses is to work with raw meat in a designated area or surface. 

When possible, handle the items away from utensils, countertops, and cutting boards used for vegetables, fruits, and other foods to prevent cross-contamination. When you're done working with meat, wash the area, containers, and utensils with commercial-grade soap and hot water to kill the bacteria. 

2. Wrap It Correctly

You could unintentionally cross-contaminate your kitchen or food by improperly wrapping meat and putting it in a refrigerator or frozen food storage. For instance, pork wrapped in torn cellophane is not safely covered and the juices could easily leak onto a shelf or container with other items. 

Instead, ensure all meats are tightly covered in cling wrap or tightly sealed containers. No juices should seep from the plastic or bin. This practice will prevent cross-contamination and control oxygen and humidity levels around the meat, which keeps some pathogens at bay. 

3. Store It at the Appropriate Temperature

The best temperature range for storing fresh meat is 28 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The cold temperature helps keep bacteria and pathogens from multiplying and rendering the food inedible. 

When temperatures approach 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the risk of bacteria growth increases. When frozen, beef can last for 12 months, while tightly wrapped pork and seafood can last for six months in the freezer.

If you need cold storage solutions around Hialeah, FL, consider EuroFreezer Cold Storage. This public warehouse has 29-foot ceilings and over 14,000 square feet of refrigerated storage rental space. This state-of-the-art facility maintains a temperature of 10 degrees below zero to provide optimal commercial freezer storage for meats, vegetables, ice cream, and more. Visit their website or call (305) 392-5555 for more details about their commercial refrigeration services.