When we talk about a food storage containers for pantry, it is not necessarily about the little box that you use to store your food in the fridge. Food storage containers for pantry can also be interpreted as a big box that have an equal size as a room that you can use to store various food supplies for your business or home kitchen.
Generally, a storage room is an important part of a company’s supply chain that serves to store production goods or materials. In the food and beverages industry, people use storage to store a wide variety of food supplies to maintain their quality and safety. Usually, food storage rooms are equipped with appropriate technology and systems to maintain ideal conditions for food storage, such as temperature regulation, humidity, and sanitation.
By adding some modifications and innovations, a lot of people use shipping containers for storage purposes due to their durability and portability. Now, you can build food storage from shipping containers using the following way:
Converting Shipping Containers into Food Storage
The use of containers as storage space aims to save construction costs and maintain the quality of food ingredients. To make shipping containers a safe and comfortable storage place, you can add food-grade shelves, lighting installations, and doors. Those accessories can significantly increase the functionality of shipping containers, allowing them to be adapted for specific uses.
Doors
A shipping container originally comes with a cargo door that is built tough and challenging to open. Therefore, instead of using a cargo door, you can try a man door or roll-up door to make your storage container more accessible. This will be very helpful, especially if you need to move big boxes in and out often.
Lighting Installations
Storage rooms should be free of windows as sunlight can oxidize any food materials inside. However, to keep you and your staff from tripping in the dark, you can install lighting with a censor that automatically turns off the light when no one is inside.
Shelves
Adding shelves can transform a container into a well-organized storage unit. Shelves can be customized to meet specific dimensions and load requirements, making them ideal for storage applications. The shelves can also increase the container’s storage capacity and organization.
Insulation and Coating
Insulating the container can help maintain a stable internal temperature, making it suitable for storing temperature-sensitive items. Other than that, lining the interior with plywood or sheet metal can provide additional protection and aesthetic appeal.
Types of Food Storage Containers for Pantry
There are various types of food supplies, and each type requires different treatment, especially when stored in a warehouse. The failure of maintaining the temperature and humidity will damaged the food inside. This can certainly be detrimental to you as the owner. Therefore, you need to adjust each food ingredient with its own temperature and humidity tolerance. Here are the types of food storage containers that you can customize according to the type of food you have:
Dry storage
A lot of F&B business use dry storage to store food supplies in the form of packaging, cans, plastic, cardboard, or bottles. Usually, the temperature in dry storage is maintained between 18°C-38°C (50°F-70°F) to avoid the warehouse from pests and insects. Keep in mind that you can only use this type of food storage to store food that does not require refrigeration.
You can use Tradecorp’s dry shipping container and convert it into dry food storage that is safe from various kinds of disturbances. Designed with rubber-sealed doors, this Tradecorp container will prevent moisture from entering, keeping your materials dry, and in good condition. Tradecorp provides dry containers in 2 sizes, 20′ & 40′, which you can choose according to your needs.
Cold storage
If you need to store perishable food items such as eggs, butter, meat, and milk, then you need cold storage containers. Cold storage can preserve food ingredients as the temperature can be set to -1°C to -7°C (30°F-45°F). Cold storage can be either a chiller for temperatures above 0°C or a freezer for temperatures below 0°C. To store food ingredients in food storage, you need to put them on separate shelves because combining them will only cause contamination that can damage the food.
To have a cold storage of your own, you can get it from Tradecorp. Tradecorp’s cold storage was built using machines that can adjust the temperature to 33.8°F (in the blast chiller). Tradecorp also has colder storage (blaze freezer) with temperatures from -4°F to -31°F.
Freezer storage
Freezer storage is storage with a temperature of -18°C (0°F) or lower. You can use freezer storage to store various types of meat, frozen food, and ice cream for a long time.
To cover your need, Tradecorp offers you the super freezer reefer container that can reach temperatures as low as -70°C (-94°F). Made with rubber-sealed doors, this freezer container ensures stable preservation even in extreme conditions.
Food Storage Process You Can Follow
Incorrect storage methods, uncleanliness, and disregard for hygiene can spoil food quickly. For this reason, you must consider to follow the food storage process correctly. Other than adjusting the type of storage to the food to be stored, here is the process of storing food supplies in the storage containers:
Placement and Organization of Food Supplies
Food storage is placed separately based on its type to avoid contamination and damage to food ingredients. Therefore, you need to store food ingredients neatly to maintain the temperature and humidity inside. The following are the requirements for storing food in cold storage (chiller):
- Separate raw materials from ready-to-eat foods.
- Cover food that smells strong with tight plastic wrap and separate it from other foods.
- Do not open the freezer too often, as it can affect the temperature and possibly damage the stored items.
Meanwhile, for the dry food, these are the storage requirements:
- Make sure the room temperature is cool enough and the circulation is good.
- Make sure the room’s floor and walls are not damp.
- Space the shelves at least 15 cm from the floor and 60 cm from the ceiling.
- Use shelves that are easy to clean and move around.
- Use the FIFO (First in First Out) system to organize the placement and retrieval of goods, which means that the first entered goods must be used first.
Labeling
Writing the date on each food ingredient is necessary to monitor and maintain its quality. This labeling usually applies to food that has or has not been used.
Recording All Food Supplies
You should always record any stored food items when they arrive on or depart from the storage room. Recording the inventory of outgoing and incoming goods is done to organize the food supplies in storage.
Conclusion
Buying or renting a shipping container is a good choice for you if you need a room to store your large amount of food supplies. A shipping container is made of stainless steel that is safe for food storage as people usually turn it into a kitchen or a restaurant. You can get your durable and high-quality food storage containers for pantry from Tradecorp with various types and capacities, starting from 5 tons, 10 tons, 20 tons, 30 tons, and up to 100 tons. Fill out this quote form to find your own type and size of container!