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Meat Processing Humidity Control

CFW is equipped to provide temperature and humidity control systems for a wide variety of food processing applications, including those in the meat industry. We provide high-capacity dehumidifiers suitable for any ambient temperature and undertake custom projects covering every aspect of temperature and humidity control.

Humidity control is critical to sanitation and quality in a meat processing plant. Droplets of moisture on meat create the ideal conditions for microbes to thrive and give the meat a slimy feel. Humidity in cutting rooms should be kept between 45% and 60% relative humidity (RH) at temperatures of 10-12 °C. Lower temperatures are preferable, but are usually avoided because they make working conditions too unpleasant. Coolers need a higher humidity (85-95% RH at 0-4 °C) to prevent weight loss (and lower market prices) because of drying.

Both temperatures and humidity levels should be kept as constant as possible. Meat products that need to be removed from coolers are more prone to condensation (or “sweating”) because of their lower temperature. Dripping, fogging and icing are other potential moisture-related problems that often occur in the meat processing industry.

Proper environmental control systems that manage both temperatures and humidity can remove this risk by altering the dew point (the temperature at which condensation forms) of the meat. There are three ways of doing this: raising meat temperature (which can lead to bacterial growth), lowering room temperature (which can cause losses in quality during long storage) or, ideally, controlling room humidity.

Desiccant dehumidifiers are an effective solution, removing moisture directly by using a desiccant rotor. They reduce the dew point to below room surface temperatures so that no condensation is possible. Since no additional refrigeration is needed, your machinery can function at maximum efficiency. By using an appropriate desiccant dehumidification system designed for your plant, you can:

Eliminate condensation, keeping floors dry
Prevent food contamination
Reduce costs from energy consumption
Improve worker safety by preventing slippery surfaces and fog and promoting a hygienic environment
Promote production uptime by eliminating delays and shutdowns for maintenance and minimizing time for recovering from washdowns.
Stop problems with ice, frost and defrosting
Ensure a high-quality product
Control pressure differentials between rooms
While it is also possible to use a refrigerative dehumidifier, additional measures may be needed to offset the temperature effects of such a device, and humidity control is usually not as precise.

Please consult our engineers or visit www.dampcontrol.co.za to learn more about our products.

Contact Us

Address

Cape Town, South Africa (HQ)

3 Parin Road, Parow Industria, 7500, Western Cape

Johannesburg, South Africa

4 Chilworth Road, Founders View North, Modderfontein, Edenvale, 1645, Gauteng

Phone

Cape Town, South Africa (HQ)

T +27 (0)21 931 8331
F +27 (0)21 931 3165

Johannesburg, South Africa

T +27 (0)11 452 5830 / 5146
F +27 (0)11 452 5132

Email

Cape Town, South Africa (HQ)

environmental@cfw.co.za

 Johannesburg, South Africa

environmentaljhb@cfw.co.za

Mailing address:

P.O. Box 1542, Parow, 7499, South Africa