Kyle Steele, recent master’s graduate in animal sciences and industry, Silver Lake, Kan., found that using light-emitting diode, or LED, lights in refrigeration units both saves energy for meat retailers and extends the shelf life of some beef products.

“By using LED lighting in meat retail display cases, Kansas retailers can save money by lowering the operational costs of refrigerated cases and extending the color shelf life of fresh meat products,” Steele said. “Additionally, by extending the color shelf life, retailers have a greater opportunity to sell the product at full price, and the state of Kansas can gain tax revenue from the full retail price rather than a discounted price.”

Steele compared the use of LED lights and fluorescent lights in meat refrigeration units because many meat retailers currently use fluorescent lights.

During refrigerated display, the color of fresh meat changes because of its natural chemistry and exposure to oxygen. Because color is a large factor that influences customers in purchasing meat, some consumers discriminate against discolored meat. These discolored meat products must either be discounted or discarded, which has been estimated to cost the meat industry up to a billion dollars each year, Steele said.

The researchers found that LED lights scored positively in nearly all areas. Most significantly, LED lights helped reduce operating costs and prolonged the shelf life for most of the meat products.

“Most meat products displayed under LED lighting had colder internal product temperatures, which helps extend product shelf life,” Steele said. “Beef loin steaks and inside round steaks that were stored under LED lights can have up to one day longer shelf life.”

Among operational costs, LED lights had fewer cycles per running hour, meaning they were a more efficient and cost-saving light source than fluorescent lights.

Steele’s research was supported by Hussmann Corp., a St. Louis-based manufacturer of merchandising equipment and refrigeration systems, and Wichita-based Cargill Meat Solutions Corp.

ThermalRite provides the foodservice industry the finest, indoor, sectional walk-ins while International Cold Storage (ICS) offers foodservice facilities a range of outstanding, outdoor, one-piece walk-ins. At the same time, CrownTonka provides the finest, indoor sectional walk-ins to the grocery and convenience store industry. Whatever your needs, we can help you get the right walk-in cooler.

ThermalRite, manufacturing the reliable, sectional walk-in coolers and freezers foodservice professionals depend on.

International Cold Storage manufactures durable, one-piece, outdoor walk-in coolers and freezers trusted by foodservice facilities nationwide.

CrownTonka the recognized manufacturer of value engineered sectional, walk-in coolers and freezers for the grocery and convenience store industry.

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Our experienced representatives and dealers will work with you to determine exactly what you need by walking you through a series of easy steps to help decide your specifications, your time line, and your expectations.

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At ThermalRite, we have a simple mission.
Listening to the needs of you, our customer, then meeting your needs with honesty, an unsurpassed level of service, and the finest quality sectional walk-in coolers and freezers in the foodservice industry.

According to the experts at FE&S, ThermalRite earned this elite status by providing value in multiple ways, as defined by the customer. The seven performance factors measured in the study are:

• Product quality
• Product value
• Product design and aesthetics
• Service and support
• Sales representation
• Product inventory and availability
• Product information and availability

ThermalRite is proud of this recognition. We look forward to working with all our customers, both new and old, to identify the products which best serve their needs.

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As a market leading manufacturer of walk-in coolers and freezers, we are pioneering initiatives, which are significantly reducing: energy consumption at all of our manufacturing and office facilities, greenhouse gas emissions and the depletion of the planet’s raw material resources.

These initiatives form the basis of Thermalrite’s Environmental Sustainability Program (ESP), which has been implemented throughout each business unit to help reduce our carbon footprint and help our customers meet their on-going environmental objectives, including to:

• Meet and exceed the Energy Independence and Security Act 2009, Section 312, requirements for walk-ins
• Produce high performance products which deliver reduced energy consumption and contribute to a marked reduction in carbon emissions
• Use environmentally responsible manufacturing techniques
• Recycle a high proportion of manufacturing materials
• Inform and influence employees and suppliers on the importance of environmental responsibility
• Continue to develop and refine Thermalrite’s ESP, through an on-going process of assessment, throughout all of our business units
• Provide our customers with superior insulating materials, up to 40% more efficient than extruded polystyrene

Jim has a strong reputation in the foodservice equipment industriy and brings to us many years of experience and knowledge.