Logical storage solutions blog

Hygiene tips for food storage in warehouses

Although it is important to maintain good hygiene practices in any warehouse, it is even more so in food storage warehouses, as is choosing the right type of shelving and storage system.

With additional rules and regulations to follow to meet more stringent health and safety standards, food storage warehouses require a higher standard of hygiene and cleaning.

Here is our expert advice on choosing the best type of shelving for food storage, as well as some hygiene tips, to ensure your warehouse complies with health and safety standards and operates smoothly.

Follow a sanitation schedule

Regular and thorough cleaning and maintenance are esential to the smooth running and compliance of food storage warehouses. There should be a clear sanitation schedule and all activities should be thoroughly documented for traceability.

Food items will attract pests to your storage facility, so it is important that you also factor regular pest control into your sanitation schedule.

Practice good hygiene

When dealing with food items, good hygiene is of great importance. Ensure staff practice good personal hygiene by providing training on hygiene and food safety, and by having signage and sanitisation stations around the warehouse.

Store food safely off the floor

Food items, or even pallets storing food, should not be stored on the ground. Storing food on a pallet racking system will help to keep them away from potential contaminants and reduce the risk of them becoming damaged.

Choose suitable shelving

When choosing a storage system for your food storage warehouse, it is important to consider how your products are packaged to ensure the shelving is suitable. You should also consider how the shelving system can reduce the risk of food becoming contaminated or spoiled.

Pallet racking is the best option for any palletised inventory. As pallet racking can be used to maximise storage capacity where space is limited, it is particularly useful for cold room or freezer storage.

Ensure systems are fully galvanised to allow for thorough sanitation, without fear of rust or paint contaminating stored products. Opt for sealed compartment pallet racking systems which are more hygienic, if possible, as the sealed beams help to prevent build-up, contamination, and surface harbouring.

Rotate products automatically

With food items tending to have a shorter shelf life than other products, product rotation is an essential process in food storage warehouses. Efficient product rotation can help to prevent stored food items from going out of date, thus reducing shrinkage.

Installing a “first in, first out” pallet racking system, or pallet flow racking system, will help to ensure consistent product rotation, by moving the pallets with the oldest stock to the front for picking.

Pallets with new stock are loaded into the back, and products are picked from the pallet with the oldest stock at the front. Once a pallet is empty, it is unloaded and the next pallet flows to the front automatically, without the need for manual product rotation, therefore saving you time and money.

Separate problematic foods

Foods must be kept separated to avoid allergen cross-contamination or odour contamination. If you store a variety of different types of foods, look for shelving systems that allow for food items to be easily and effectively separated.

A popular option for food storage, wire shelving is great for separating goods, whilst providing ventilation which will help to keep your dry and chilled food items fresh. Plus, it is easy to wipe down which would be beneficial in the event of spillages.

For help in selecting the best solution for your food storage warehouse requirements, our expert team is on hand to advise. Call us on 0845 689 1300 or email [email protected] to discuss your warehouse storage needs or to book a racking inspection or consultation.

Logical Storage Solutions is an innovative provider of storage equipment and interior workspaces for both industrial and commercial environments, including office partitions, warehouse racking, and mezzanine flooring.

Offering a consultative approach and nationwide service for all single and multi-site operations, we are your one-stop provider of all storage, workspace, and maintenance solutions.