- The surfaces of certain processing environments can form condensation, particularly in chiller ceilings. Most food processing plants have some form of condensation on the ceilings of their chillers.
- Many bacteria, including L. monocytogenes grow readily in moist conditions.
- The warmer the air temperature, the greater amounts of water that can be contained in it. If temperatures are dropped (i.e. in a chiller), fogging and condensation can form. Most modern chillers can remove moisture and mitigate this.
- Below are provided a number of cost effective processes to reduce the formation of condensation in chillers.
Based on site visits to more than 100 UK food processing plants over the last twenty years, it is apparent that most suffer from some degree of condensation on the ceilings of their chillers (Figure 1). The problem is more apparent in food processing, where food enters a chiller wet. Fortunately, the causes of condensation are well understood, and the issue can be cured in the majority of cases for very little expense.