Environmental control is critical for ensuring the quality of your commercial products. While controlling the environment means controlling the temperature, it means controlling the humidity level as well. There are a variety of commercial products that require controlled environments, which means it is critical to think about not only temperature control but also humidity control.
How Humidity Is Used (or Controlled) to Keep Commercial Products Protected
Humidity refers to the degree of moisture present in the air. The more moisture present in the air, the higher the humidity level. Humidity can be measured in a variety of ways, such as absolute humidity, specific humidity, or relative humidity.
Typically, the humidity associated with refrigeration is relative humidity. This measures the amount of water in the air when compared to the maximum amount of water that could be present in the air at that given temperature.
For example, a freezer typically has a lower level of humidity when compared to a refrigerator because evaporator coils remove both heat and moisture from the air. Therefore, temperature changes can be used to influence humidity levels, which are critical in keeping certain commercial products protected. Humidity rooms can play a central role in protecting commercial products during every stage of the production and sale process.
Not So Obvious Products that Need Humidity-Controlled Environments
When people think about products that require humidity-controlled environments, they usually think about fresh fruits and vegetables. Indeed, it is important to make sure that all food is stored at the right temperature and humidity level. For example, mushrooms need to be stored in an environment with relatively high humidity to prevent water and weight loss.
In addition, chocolate is incredibly delicate, and it needs to be stored in an environment with a humidity level of less than 55 percent. Otherwise, the taste will suffer.
Cheese also needs to be stored in an environment at the right humidity level. Otherwise, it could spoil before people have a chance to enjoy it. Other foods and drinks that need to be stored in an environment with an appropriate humidity level include wine and cakes.
On the other hand, there are numerous other products that need to be stored at the right humidity level to protect their quality. For example, the baseballs used by the MLB now have strict conditions under which they can be stored. All teams are required to store their baseballs at a temperature of 70 degrees with 50 percent humidity. The goal is to ensure the baseballs behave consistently from ballpark to ballpark. While teams cannot do anything to control the weather outside, they can make sure the baseballs have consistent moisture content at game time across all 30 ball parks.
Even cannabis growers need to think carefully about the temperature and humidity conditions of the storage process. Cannabis is typically stored at 70 degrees and 40 percent humidity. If the conditions are off, the product could be ruined before it reaches the customer.
Controlling the Controlled Environment
Clearly, it is crucial to control the environment to maximize commercial product quality, and RDT’s Controlled Environment controller can help with that. In addition to humidity control, the Controlled Environment can provide the same monitoring and defrost control found in our Eco-Smart controller. Eco-Smart provides users with remote monitoring and diagnostics, using multiple sensors, evaporation fans, and AI technology to control the environment at all times. With RDT’s novel technology, remote monitoring and control can protect valuable inventory and reduce product spoilage across all industries.
