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REFRIGERATION

Food storage

How to store soft drinks and packaged beverages

Carbonated soft drinks, packaged juice drinks, energy drinks and similar beverages are shelf-stable when sealed. They do not need refrigeration for safety, but customers expect them cold, and chilled drinks sell much better. Heat and sunlight, on the other hand, can affect flavour, fade colours and, in extreme cases, cause cans to bulge or plastic bottles to deform. Store back stock in a cool, shaded place and chill drinks for sale in a glass-door cooler at about +2 to +6 °C.

  • Chilled+2 to +6 °C (for sale and service)

Do

  • Store back stock in a cool, dry, shaded storeroom, off the floor.
  • Load the cooler from the back, with older stock at the front.
  • Allow enough time for warm stock to chill before peak hours; restock during quieter periods.
  • Do not overpack the cooler; leave space for cold air to circulate.
  • Keep the cooler door seals clean and intact.
  • Check dates regularly, especially on slow-moving lines.
  • Keep glass-door coolers out of direct sunlight.
  • Set the cooler thermostat for the season; in peak summer a slightly colder setting helps drinks stay cold through constant door opening, but check that nothing freezes.

Avoid

  • Do not store crates of drinks in direct sun outside the shop.
  • Do not freeze carbonated drinks; containers can burst.
  • Do not block the cooler's condenser vents with crates.
  • Do not use the drinks cooler to store raw meat or dairy.
  • Do not sell cans that are dented at the seam, bulging or leaking.

In Indian conditions

Glass-door visi coolers are everywhere in Indian retail, from kirana shops to restaurants. In summer, demand peaks while ambient temperatures in many shops exceed 40 °C. A cooler rated for high ambient temperatures, with a clean condenser and space around it, will chill drinks faster and use less power. Many beverage companies place branded coolers with retailers; keep them clean and use them for their intended products. Voltage fluctuations are common; a stabiliser protects the compressor. During power cuts, keep the door closed.

General good practice for commercial kitchens and shops. Where your FSSAI licence conditions or food-safety plan set stricter limits, follow those.