Posted By Malcolm Looking for some guidance on the following subject. Domestic refrigeration being used within a commercial environment. Is this in breach of any hygiene regulations or good practice. If it can be used are there any restrictions on it's use.

Posted By John Webster Malcolm The main differences between domestic and catering equipment are size and robustness. Given that domestic equipment is usually considerably cheaper than its commercial equivalent it is very tempting to use it. In practical terms the stainless steel finish of a commercial 'fridge is probably no easier to keep clean than the paint and plastic of a domestic 'fridge. But with heavy use the latter will quickly develop scratches and cracks which will then present a hygiene problem. This may not be a problem in light commercial use (I use domestic refrigeration in my Guest House and the local EHO is perfectly happy provided that I monitor temperatures). With freezers there could be another issue to take into account. The commercial freezer may be designed to operate at a lower temperature than it's domestic cousin. However, using domestic equipment in a commercial environment could invalidate the manufacturer's warranty and may be contrary to the suppliers' installation and use instructions, so check it out. This may be a risk worth taking given the price difference, the general reliability and low risk nature of 'fridges, but is extremely risky for the cooks equivalent of hand tools - equipment like mixers and blenders - for in the event of an accident it would be easy to show that the work equipment provided was not appropriate for the task if the manufacturer said it wasn't. Hope this helps John

Posted By Dr. Andrew Rankine I would echo previous comments. There are no a priori reasons for choosing commercial refrigeration over domestic equivalents. Colleges and Universities and hospitals are full of both types. Commercial grade models will usually last longer, although there is no guarantee. For the humble fridge you do need to be very careful about what you keep in it. If you need to keep small quantities of flammable solvents, have the interior light removed altogether, and the switch for the thermostat moved to outside the cabinet. If such storage is a long-term proposition, you'll be better getting a proper solvent fridge (these are pretty expensive, but if you've ever seen a fridge go off bang...) Don't keep food and chemical in the same fridge. Otherwise an EHO will give you the same advice re food storage regardless of the source of the fridge.