Carlisle Food Pans, Containers & Lids

Carlisle Food Storage: What You Need to Know

Whether your commercial kitchen needs solutions for prep work, food storage, or serving meals from a hot or cold buffet, Carlisle food pans are available in designs able to meet the unique needs of any foodservice operation. As a leading provider of products designed to withstand commercial applications, Carlisle and its product engineers understand how important it is to offer a variety of innovative, versatile food pans and containers.

The Carlisle food storage solutions available at KaTom are made of a variety of thermoplastics, including:

• Polyethylene, which yields translucent containers and lids
• Polycarbonate, which creates clear containers and lids
• Polyethersulfone (PES), which is capable of withstanding high-heat applications
• ABS Plastic, which makes opaque products

Common Questions About Carlisle Food Pans

Are Carlisle food pans BPA free?

BPA – or Bisphenol A – is found in many plastics, but most of the materials used by Carlisle are BPA free, including polyethylene, polyethersulfone, and ABS plastic. Unfortunately, you will need to steer clear of Carlisle food pans made of polycarbonate if you are concerned about using products containing BPA. Polycarbonate – a popular choice for food pans due to its durability and clear construction – is unlikely to harm your customers, but all products containing BPA carry a Prop 65 warning per California regulations.

Which pans should be used for high-heat applications?

Carlisle food pans made of polyethersulfone can withstand temperatures as hot as 375 degrees Fahrenheit, which sets them apart from other options. These "high-temp" food pans can be used in high-heat applications with equipment such as microwaves and hot food bars. These food pans are traditionally a bright amber color, which makes them easy to identify, but they also come in black.

Some polycarbonate pans are also available in black but can only be used in temperatures as hot as 212 degrees Fahrenheit. When searching for a high-temp food pan, double check the product's specifications to ensure you're purchasing the correct one for your application.

How do Carlisle Coldmaster pans work?

Carlisle food containers from the Coldmaster series offer operators an easy, sanitary alternative to traditional food bar setups that require ice to chill food pans. These pans – made of ABS plastic and filled with sealed gel packs – should be allowed to freeze for 8 hours prior to use and will turn blue to indicate they are ready to hold products below 41 degrees Fahrenheit.

As the temperature of the pans rises, the blue will fade to white, so employees can rely on this color-changing technology to monitor the temperature of the food in each container once they are placed into a serving line. Coldmaster pans are capable of maintaining safe temperatures for as many as 9 hours and can also be used with dairy products, such as 1-quart cartons of milk and cans of whipped cream.

What other containers are available?

In addition to the materials we've already covered, Carlisle food storage containers are available in a number of shapes and sizes, including:

• Rectangular food pans available in full, two-thirds, half, quarter, sixth, and ninth sizes with 2-, 4-, or 6-inch depths
• Round containers with capacities measured in quarts that are popular for storing fruit, dry ingredients, and soup
• Handled food pans, usually meant for high-heat applications
• Salad crocks with capacities measured in pounds for use with buffet lines

In addition to containers and pans, you'll find a number of accessories to complete your serving line setup, including traditional covers, notched lids, dividers, and drain shelves.