Enhance Storage Sanitation with Metro and Microban
Sanitation is important in every aspect of foodservice operation, from employee handwashing to cleaning and sanitizing dishes. This extends from kitchen prep areas to food storage rooms, making it important to invest in equipment that can be easily cleaned. Some products take it a step further, innovating beyond cleanability to include compounds that help slow the growth of harmful microbes. Metro plastic shelving incorporates Microban®, an antimicrobial compound that can help keep your food storage area clean and safe.
What is Microban?
Microban is an antimicrobial compound used on a wide variety of commercial kitchen equipment, from dinnerware to high chairs. It uses silver-based technology to prevent the growth and spread of the micro-organisms that can cause foul odors, mold and mildew growth, and stains. Silver is FDA approved, making it the ideal antimicrobial for use in foodservice products like plastic food storage shelving.
Microban works by allowing silver particles to break through the cell walls of harmful micro-organisms. This penetration makes the bacteria more susceptible to traditional cleaning and sanitation methods while also preventing the cells from reproducing.
Metro and Microban
Because durable plastic shelving is ideal for food storage in walk-in coolers, incorporating Microban into the Metro plastic shelving lines makes perfect sense. The moist environment and the potential for spills inside of walk-in refrigeration means cooler shelves can be a breeding ground for bacteria, creating mold, odors, and stains. These things can compromise food safety and impact your health inspection scores.
To combat this problem, Metro has built Microban into the Super Erecta Metroseal 3, Super Erecta Pro, MetroMax Q, MetroMax 4, and MetroMax i lines. The compound is used in every plastic shelf and shelf mat, and is a component of the epoxy coating used on poles and crossbars. Below is some information on each of the Metro shelving lines that use Microban protection.
Super Erecta Metroseal 3
The Super Erecta Metroseal 3 is the only all-metal shelving available from Metro that also offers Microban protection. Microban is built into the epoxy finish to protect the storage unit from microbial growth. These shelves can be stationary or mobile, and can be used in high-density shelving with floor or ceiling tracks. Shelving units on standard casters can hold 600 to 900 pounds each, while a stationary shelving unit can hold as much as 2,000 pounds.
Super Erecta Pro
Blurring the line between polymer and metal shelving, the Super Erecta Pro features metal poles and crossbeams with polymer shelf mats. Microban antimicrobial protection is embedded in the epoxy coating on the metal parts of the shelving and in the plastic shelf mats. These shelves can hold 600 to 990 pounds when used on casters. In stationary applications, a single shelving unit can hold as much as 2,000 pounds.
MetroMax Q Shelving
The most economical Metro plastic shelving option, the MetroMax Q shelving units use epoxy-coated frames and polymer shelf mats, which have Microban antimicrobial solution worked into the plastic. These shelving units can be used in both stationary and mobile applications, and can hold as much weight as wire shelving at 2,000 pounds per stationary unit. Unlike traditional wire shelves that use shelf collars, these quick-adjust shelves can be moved easily using latches built into the corner of each shelf.
MetroMax 4
The MetroMax 4 is made entirely of polymer, making it completely corrosion-proof. These shelves have Microban built into every part of the unit, helping prevent foul odors, stains, and mold and mildew. Open-grid and solid-shelf mats are available to enable you to store items of nearly any size. The shelf mats lift off easily for cleaning, which earned the MetroMax 4 NSF approval. Suitable for both stationary and mobile applications, this unit can hold up to 600 pounds per shelf.
MetroMax i
MetroMax i is the most heavy-duty shelving option available from Metro, with stainless steel corners and durable polymer shelves and posts. Lift-off polymer shelf mats are easy to clean, and Microban is built into every touch point to help prevent bacteria growth between washes. Shelves can be adjusted in 1-inch increments for easy custom storage options. Able to function as stationary, mobile, and high-density shelving, these shelves can hold 600 to 900 pounds per shelf depending on the application.