It is absolutely essential that restaurant equipment be well cleaned and maintained. Unclean working environments can lead to health inspection violations and sick patrons. Here are some examples of where the fridge can go wrong, taken directly from health inspection reports.
“The walk-in fridge and make table weren’t keeping food cold enough.”
“Food debris and build-up were found in the refrigerator’s gaskets and behind its handles.”
“No thermometers in noncommercial refrigerators in back or in small bar refrigerator.”
“Three-door cooler holding food at 36 to 45 degrees and walk-in cooler holding food at 43 to 44 degrees. Hold food at 41 degrees or lower. Adjust or repair coolers as needed.”
“The walk-in door won’t close properly to prevent correct sealing. Food prep refrigerator lids are broken.”
“Glass front cooler in kitchen is malfunctioning. Cooler is about 90 degrees Fahrenheit.”
Many of the violations for refrigerators and undercounter refrigerators have to do with either the temperatures or the cleanliness of the units. Fortunately, many of these violations are easy to fix.
All problems that you’ll have with undercounter refrigerators or walk-in coolers start small. There might be a tiny crack in the seal, or maybe a little give where it’s not supposed to give, or a noticeable change in temperature, or maybe you haven’t heard the fan running in a while. That’s the time to fix what’s wrong.
There’s nothing that can really replace a good cleaning regimen. Cleaning also gives workers the chance to listen for any problems with the unit. Tomorrow, we’ll talk a little more about the best practices when working with commercial refrigerators.
