If you have improper levels of humidity in your commercial refrigeration equipment, this could not only cause poor visibility through glass doors and windows, but also damage the food items you have inside the units. Therefore, it’s extremely important that you be familiar with the different humidity levels for each type of commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR, so you can keep your inventory as fresh as possible.

Here is some information about humidity levels in various types of coolers and refrigerators, from highest to lowest humidity:

• Floral coolers: Coolers that are storing flowers tend to have much higher humidity levels than other types of units, as you need to be able to prevent the flowers from drying out, wilting and falling apart. You’re going to keep humidity at 90 percent or higher at temperatures between 35 and 45 degrees. Flowers also require gentle airflow to keep them fresh, which you should also account for in your cooler.
• Fresh meats and fish: When storing fresh meat and fish in commercial refrigeration, you should maintain 85 to 90 percent humidity at a temperature of 35 degrees. The higher levels of humidity in meat coolers prevent the meat from losing its weight while sitting in storage. Otherwise, evaporation could cause the meats to begin to shrivel up.
• Beverages (beer): When storing beers and other beverages, keep humidity between 60 and 75 percent at a temperature of 35 degrees. This is especially important for the rare beer that has a cork in it. When humidity is too low, the cork can dry out, but if the humidity is too high, then you could have mold begin forming in the beer.
• Beverages (wine): When storing wine, maintain a 55 to 70 percent humidity level at a temperature of 45 degrees. Wine corks can also become dried out if the humidity levels are too low. When this happens, the top of the cork will likely crack or shrink, exposing the wine to the air and ultimately spoiling it. If the environment is too damp, the cork could begin to develop mold, which would also ruin the wine.
• Produce: Keep all fruits and vegetables in refrigeration environments that maintain a 60 to 75 percent humidity level at a temperature of 55 degrees. Moderate levels of humidity in this refrigeration prevent the fruits and vegetables from shriveling up and becoming unappealing to customers. Most grocery store customers associate the appearance of produce with its freshness, so keeping this appearance is extremely important. Additionally, having humidity too high could cause mold to begin to form on fruits and vegetables.

These are general guidelines you will need to follow for each of these different types of refrigeration systems and products, but as always, you should consult your equipment manual for more detailed information and guidelines. If you find yourself in need of any repairs or other work done to your commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR to ensure you are able to maintain these proper humidity levels and temperatures, contact our trusted team today at American Refrigeration Inc.