Health and Safety
The CNSRV DC:02 defrosts frozen food utilizing 98% less water and half the time as the old running faucet method. We looked very closely at the health code and consulted the expertise of public health officials in our design and execution of the DC:02:
- The motion of the water is critical as well as the temperature control. A standard faucet moves roughly 5gal/minute and our DC:02 moves water at a rate of nearly 133gal/minute ensuring that the flow of water is more than great enough to satisfy the "enough agitation" criteria.
- The temperature control aspect of DC:02 creates an even safer environment than the faucet as well. DC:02 ensures the temperature of the water remains well below 70f (sometimes the frozen food even helps with that process). This often is not a possibility with a running faucet in warmer weather months where water comes out warmer than 70f. While utilizing DC:02 the frozen food brings the water temperature down to a safe level and CNSRV gently adjusts temperature to reach roughly 66F for the quickest and most efficient defrost.
- Another area where DC:02 outperforms in safety v.s. the old faucet method per health code is that the food is fully submerged at all times when using DC:02, which leads to a controlled and even defrost. With a faucet method, only parts of the food remain under the water, while the majority of the frozen food remains untouched and at ambient temperature leading to uneven and potentially unsafe defrost.
- The velocity section of the guidelines aim to highlight the importance of ensuring that the water in the sink moves rapidly enough to prevent bacteria clustering and growth. The concern is to prevent individuals from turning on the faucet at the bare minimum to satisfy the criteria of 'running water'. If the velocity of the water isn't sufficient to flush off loose particles, the water in which the food sits remains too stagnant, increasing the risk of bacterial growth.
- By stipulating that the velocity must be adequate to flush away loose food pieces, the section mandates that the water remains in constant motion. CNSRV DC:02 keeps the water rapidly moving at a rate 27x the flow rate of a standard faucet, satisfying that portion of the language.
- Another aspect worth noting regarding the phrase "with enough velocity to flush away loose particles" is that the vast majority of defrosted food remains enclosed in the vacuum-sealed plastic it was delivered in by the supplier. While sealed, no food particles are actually being flushed away. This reinforces the notion that the statement is focused on ensuring adequate water movement rather than implying that food is being drained away.
Below is a video that highlights the shortcomings of the running faucet method- a ton of wasted water, most of the food completely out of the water, only one specific portion of the food getting crushed by the running faucet which leaves uneven defrosts and potentially unsafe conditions.
Below is a video of CNSRV DC:02 defrosting tuna in 45 minutes using roughly 8 gallons of water when it usually would take this commercial kitchen 3 hours and 900 gallons of running water. The food remains fully submerged in cold water for an even and safe defrost. CNSRV monitors and regulates temperature and uses a specified flow/agitation to maximize safety and efficiency.