Dehumidification and the Meat Industry

August 11, 2017

When it comes to food production, hygiene procedures are absolutely paramount. Keeping your food products free from bacteria can help to avoid odours, spoiling and more, especially in the meat processing and sausage production industries.

As such, strict hygiene procedures are often in place in meat processing plants, but those alone aren’t enough to prevent dangerous conditions. Indeed, effective humidity control is also required.

The low working temperatures of and high humidity levels of meat processing businesses mean that not only is dehumidification desirable for issues like odours, it’s totally necessary for ensuring a consistent level of quality and safety too.

But what is the main issue that affects the meat industry? The answer is condensation.

The food production industry makes common use of cold storage houses and refrigeration rooms, which is where condensation issues typically occur. Because the dew point in the air is often higher than at the surface of the walls, working surfaces or ceilings, condensation can develop quickly.

That’s because air is cooled down by the cold surfaces, and the water vapour in the air condenses to water. So, what effect does this have on meat products?

Water droplets hitting meat products can encourage germ development, causing spoiling and unpleasant odours, but the real issue lies in packing. Cardboard remains the favoured packing material for the meat industry across the world, and yet it also happens to be extremely absorbent. For areas with high humidity levels that pose a significant problem, with moist cardboard boxes potentially ruining whole stocks.

High humidity in cold areas also has the added effect of making the air seem colder, a factor which has been linked to decreased productivity levels and a growing sickness absence rate. So, what can a business in the meat industry do to combat these issues?

Invest in food industry dehumidification, of course.

Whilst businesses in the food production industry can’t sacrifice their cold spaces, they can ensure those cold areas are kept dry with the inclusion of humidity control systems. Specialist humidity control systems like the ones offered by Dehum operate at incredibly high-efficiency levels, delivering pinpoint humidity control for any space, helping to protect stock, prevent germ development and boost employee comfort.

The benefits of dehumidifier use in the meat processing industry include:

• Preventing condensation
• Fewer hygiene-related issues
• Faster drying following cleaning
• Germ formation prevention
• Higher perceived air temperature
• Decreased issues around odour
• Reduced slip risk

To find out more about our food industry humidity control solutions, call us today on 01926 882642, or email us at sales@dehum.com.