Organic methods of production are quickly becoming a major contender across all areas of the food industry, including packaging, shipping, and storage. At Minnesota Freezer Warehouse Company, we’re committed to providing climate-controlled warehouse storage to maintain food quality and safety standards for frozen refrigerated, and dry goods. With over 15,000,000 lbs of perishable goods passing through our facilities each year, we place a strong emphasis on maintaining food security. Not only do our locally lead facilities operate with HACCP implemented procedures and are annually certified by AIB International, but we also provide comprehensive cold storage in Austin, MN for conventional and organic-certified products.
While the products that are made with conventional growing and processing methods are often almost indistinguishable from those made with organic-certified production procedures, there are certain products that require more rigor and attention in storage. Primarily, organic fresh produce and whole foods have a shorter shelf life, but with the right climate storage conditions and shipping care, these products can stay fresher for longer.
Organic Fruits and Vegetables
Maintaining the quality and nutrition of organic fruits and vegetables can be more difficult than conventional produce due to two main factors. First, organic products are not treated with pesticides, grown with certain hormones, or stored with non-organic preservatives. This means they are more vulnerable to mold, bacteria, bugs, and other microorganisms that can start the decay process or generally damage quality. The second factor that can negatively affect the quality of organic produce more readily than conventional produce is the distribution process as a whole. Organic farming and food production is a new system in comparison to the conventional food industry, and as a result, the packaging and cross-country transportation of organics may be slower and less efficient than the standard process. This means that organic fruits and vegetables may reach storage facilities and grocery shelves at peak freshness or soon after, leading to a swifter loss in quality and nutrition.
Organic Whole Foods
Like organic fruits and vegetables, other whole foods grown and packaged with organic-certified methods may have a shorter shelf life without high-quality storage facilities. While grains, nuts, beans, and other foods that can be kept in dry storage may last longer than fresh produce, these foods are still susceptible to decline in quality more quickly than conventional products. The lack of preservatives, pesticides, and hormones in organic whole foods leaves them more easily susceptible to contaminating microorganisms. These foods are also distributed within the same organics food system, which is smaller and may be slower than conventional systems.
With organic produce and organic whole foods, as well as other processed organic products, the right storage is key. MFWC protects organics with our advanced climate-controlled facilities, including organic-certified refrigeration, dry storage, and freezer warehouses. For comprehensive climate-controlled and cold storage in Austin, MN, contact Minnesota Freezer Warehouse Company at (844) 373-1477 today.