Portable Refrigerator

Refrigerated Food Transport: What You Need to Know

Commercial refrigeration is a crucial part of many businesses, from foodservice operations and hotels to office buildings and healthcare facilities, even when a traditional, permanent equipment setup isn't possible. Having a portable refrigerator that can transport perishable items without jeopardizing its quality and safety – or being unwieldy and inconvenient when moving between locations – is an essential investment for companies providing catering, grocery delivery or food distribution, and medical and pharmaceutical testing.

Depending on the model, equipment suitable for refrigerated food transport can be used by:

• Restaurants and foodservice operations to deliver take-and-bake meals such as lasagna, chicken and vegetables, pizza, and other menu items that can be prepared, frozen, and reheated at a customer's home
• Nonprofit groups delivering large quantities of groceries or premade meals to homebound individuals, elderly residents, and at-risk families
• Food producers and suppliers to transport perishable products, such as milk, cheese, and fresh pasta
• Catering companies needing to transport meals to an event venue to feed hundreds of guests
• Vending operations taking perishable grab-and-go food, such as sandwiches and yogurt, to its retail point
• Medical and pharmaceutical companies transporting medicine, vaccines, and samples to research facilities and healthcare facilities

Common Questions About Portable Refrigerators

How does a portable refrigerator work?

Chilled food transport may be as simple as an insulated box, but units designated as a refrigerator have electric components enabling them to provide extended cold storage in places not normally able to accommodate it, such as on transport vehicles and delivery vans or in tents and other outdoor venues. These models are powered by electricity from a wall outlet, vehicle power socket, 12- or 24-volt battery, or another source. Unlike food transport refrigeration that relies on ambient air, these units can maintain items in storage at a consistent temperature for as long as they have power instead of just a few hours.

How do you transport cold food for catering?

Catering operations rely on carriers designed for transporting food. Since these usually see heavy use and must be put onto and taken off of vehicles multiple times a day, they are commonly made of durable plastic with components that can withstand repeated door openings. Most food carriers are meant to be paired with food pans, so you'll want to make sure you have enough pans to hold your food and enough carriers to hold your pans. To prevent wasted food and messes, secure lids are a must-have before loading the pans into your units.

Does refrigerated food stay safe during transportation?

As long as refrigerated food is transported in a unit meant to hold it at refrigerated temperatures, it will not spoil during transportation. The catch here is insulated carriers can only hold food for a few hours, while a portable refrigerator is capable of providing refrigeration for much longer, as long as it has a continuous power source. However, pans with food that needs to remain refrigerated should always be loaded into the catering cold box directly from the refrigerator so it is already being held at refrigerated temperatures. Loading unrefrigerated food into a carrier will make it difficult, if not impossible, for a portable unit to hold large amounts of food at safe temperatures. You should think of your portable refrigerator as a holding unit, not a cooling unit.

Can these be used to transport frozen food?

Despite their name, some portable refrigerators are capable of holding temps low enough to maintain frozen food in its frozen state during transportation. These may be called portable refrigerator freezers or just portable freezer units. Before purchasing a unit, check the temperature range on the model you're considering to verify its capabilities.