With the world currently in turmoil over the coronavirus pandemic, the majority of our industry have closed doors until further notice.
However, leaving our beloved businesses closed for an “unknown” period of time brings many emotions to the surface: anxiety, confusion and heartache, to name just a few.
The simple fact is that the majority of the issues at the moment are out of our hands, we simply have to follow government guidelines and act sensibly to overcome this crisis together.
Yet, this doesn’t mean if we do close we should lock the door and walk away. We have a responsibility owed to our businesses to ensure they remain safe and secure whilst unattended.
How to prepare your establishment for a prolonged closure
Below are a few ideas to ensure peace of mind whilst your establishments are alone and unattended for the foreseeable future.
(We shall add more to these on a regular basis to ensure we have every appliance, workstation and raw material covered.)
Preparing the Prep Room
Potato Peeler
- Wash inside and out with hot soapy water
- Take rotational plate out and grease the drive shaft
- Leave the door ajar – gasket can go flat when closed for long periods
- Leave the lid off to ensure good air circulation
Potato Chipper
- Wash inside and out with hot soapy water
- Remove rotor and give a thorough clean with hot soapy water, particularly underneath – leave out until required again
- Remove knife block and give a thorough clean with hot soapy water – leave out until required again
If possible, turn the machines on once a week for a few minutes to ensure they are both working correctly.
Fish Fridge
- Turn the fridge off
- Remove any food or raw materials from the fridge and store or discard correctly – date and label if you are freezing food
- Defrost the fridge
- Wash all storage trays
- Clean the inside and outside – don’t forget the seals
- Leave the door ajar – otherwise it can become a very smelly appliance
Freezer
- Turn the freezer off
- Defrost the freezer and wipe out correctly
- Turn the freezer back on and return the temperature back to -18°C to -22°C
- Store and stack food correctly within the freezer – date labels, secure bags and containers
- Remember: MSC products in correct location
- Make a note of what food is in the freezer, this will enable you to re-order much easier when required
- You can freeze pre-packed food right up to the “use by” date.
Look out for our post covering frying range tips along with opened oil drums/boxes in the coming days…
Remember to STAY SAFE.
Frymax is the UK’s leading supplier of deep fat fryer oil. We provide high-quality, sustainable palm oil to restaurants all over the country. Get in touch for more information.
