Cleanliness and safety have always been cornerstones of restaurant operations, but as we've seen over the past few years and will certainly see in the future, customers and consumers are paying closer attention to safety and sanitation practices. In today's Canadian restaurant industry, it's almost as impactful as the food.
One of the important aspects of our services at WD Colledge is to be aware of all current food and beverage trends, translating their impact to our customers along with solutions for enacting those trends. We two main solutions for safety and sanitation foodservice solutions at our disposal, which we can break down here.
Bluezone by Middleby
Since COVID-19 is an airborne disease, most customers worry they'll catch the virus from the air around them. Even when restaurants and catering services require masks, it's not feasible for guests to wear them in-between bites.
Fortunately, the Bluezone system can alleviate these concerns by killing airborne pathogens and recycling clean, filtered air back inside. The way the system works is like this:
First, contaminated air enters the system through the intake vent.
Inside, powerful UV lights kill mold, bacteria, and viruses as they pass through. The secret to Bluezone's success is that the air doesn't flow too quickly. Instead, the flow rate is low enough to kill up to 99.9% of all pathogens.
Finally, clean, filtered air escapes through the exhaust vent and back into the restaurant.
Since Bluezone doesn't utilize mechanical filtration systems, it's a much more cost-effective and low-maintenance solution. You don't have to change filters all the time, and you can feel confident that the UV rays kill virtually all bacteria and viruses.
Champion Ventless Dish Machine
While a Sani Station works well for utensils, you still need a dish machine to handle plates and other dishes. Typically, restaurants have a vented dishwasher, which is costly to install and maintain. Not only that, but the steam goes through the duct system, meaning it winds up as waste.
A far better (and more affordable) solution is a ventless machine like this one from Champion. Let's break down the benefits it offers:
Low Upfront Cost - You can install a ventless dishwasher without connecting it to a duct system.
Low Maintenance - Since there aren't vents involved, you don't have to clean the ducts or replace filters all the time.
Recycle Water - Ventless dishwashers collect the steam and reuse it for subsequent washes. Don't worry; the water is filtered and cleaned before going back in. Overall, you can cut down on your water bill by switching to this device.
