The specific temperature ranges required to prevent microbial growth, enzymatic activity, and chemical reactions that compromise food quality or create health risks. For frozen foods, international standards and South African regulations (R638, SANS 10156:2014, ISO/TS 22002-5) require storage and transport at -18°C or colder. Temperature excursions above -12°C allow microbial activity and enzyme reactivation, potentially compromising product safety even if products are subsequently re-frozen. The -18°C standard isn’t arbitrary – it’s based on decades of food science research identifying the temperature below which all microbial growth, enzymatic activity, and most chemical reactions essentially cease. Professional cold chain operators maintain temperatures at -18°C or colder throughout operations with continuous monitoring documenting compliance. Marginal operators claim “-15°C is good enough” or tolerate temperature excursions to -10°C, systematically compromising food safety while gambling that problems won’t be traced back to their operations. Food safety temperature requirements are non-negotiable physics, not suggestions open to interpretation based on what equipment suppliers find convenient to deliver.
Related Terms: R638 Compliance, Cold Chain Integrity, Temperature Excursion, Temperature Monitoring System