11 replies to this topic

[bjorklund]

Hello all, my company currently manages a refrigerated warehouse where we stock raw meats. What temperatures are recommended to store raw meat at? FDA recommends at or below 40'F, but curious what the industry stores at.

 

Thank you.

[morgan@edmundsfoods]

We keep our coolers at below 36 degrees F

We process poultry

Edited by morgan@edmundsfoods, 10 February 2022 - 05:39 PM.

[Scampi]

40F would be the absolute maximum you'd want red meat at, even if you were to hang it as aging

 

36F for poultry is bang on

 

 

The thing to remember with meat (of any kind) is it will lose weight in relation to the storage temperature, ie you lose money as well as shelf life. Colder meat just weeps less

[Brendan Triplett]

I run a USDA I-House.  We store frozen at 0 degrees F and refrigerated at 34-36 degrees F. 

 

Do you have your critical limits set or are you working out your plan now?

 

Cheers!

[bjorklund]

Thank you all. Our warehouse maintains 33-36'F. defrost cycles max at 37'F but for very short periods.

 

We are having spoilage issues with a supplier and they are saying our temps are too high, so I am trying to see what temps the industry maintains for packaged raw beef, pork and chicken.  The supplier says they maintain temps 28-33'F.

[Scampi]

Put data loggers into your cooler in various locations (if you don't already)

 

It could be that the system is out of calibration (or theirs for that matter)  and that what your readings are, are not actually correct

 

You can get very small ones that have a USB that you plug into your computer that are quite inexpensive

 

If for no other reason that being able to provide customers with assurance, or as a tool for issues like you're having

[Brendan Triplett]

Thank you all. Our warehouse maintains 33-36'F. defrost cycles max at 37'F but for very short periods.

 

We are having spoilage issues with a supplier and they are saying our temps are too high, so I am trying to see what temps the industry maintains for packaged raw beef, pork and chicken.  The supplier says they maintain temps 28-33'F.

 

We run annual calibrations on all of our temperature systems.  Scampi mentioned it as well.  I would have your system calibrated against a NIST and then if it looks good have the supplier send a record as well.

 

Cheers!

[Charles.C]

I disbelieve that many systems will have no temperature "swings" if nominally running lower than 36 degF

[pep792]

Raw meat  30 to 32 F. Do you have an sop for receiving product? Temps should be taken on at least 6 percent of the load.

[Brendan Triplett]

FDA has a requirement for seafood on the number of cases temp'd, I do not know if meat has a requirement.  I also have the luxury of a temperature-controlled dock, that we leverage heavily in the receiving process.

[Marloes]

Not FDA but from EU.
But I though I would reply in case it is off use (:.

Usually raw meats are refrigerated at <4 degree Celsius , which should be 39 degrees Fahrenheit. Some may also choose 0° C, but I don't believe that is industry standard. Normal industry temperature for refrigeration is <7° C(45F)  and consumers (in the Netherlands) store at 9 ° C (48F).  

[MSifat]

Having experience of more than 5 years in a meat industry, it is general requirement that raw meat (Beef/Sheep/Goat) is to be stored at or below 4⁰ C (Shelf life 7 days). For longer shelf life like one year they should be stored below -18 ⁰C. 

 

In case of chicken, raw chicken should be stored at or below 2⁰ C (Shelf life 3 days), below -18 ⁰C (Shelf life 6 months)