Chilled and frozen retail display 237 0866 9E-8c emoved Number of shelves removed Fig 11.2 Refrigeration load per metre length of cabinet as shelves are remo from the top downwards(source: Foster, 1997) to put heat into the store near the cabinets. This has to be carefully con trolled, as fast moving air near an air curtain will disrupt it. If the air is also warm it can greatly affect the temperature of the product inside 11.2 Retail display of unwrapped meat and delicatessen products The market for delicatessen meat products in the UK was estimated to be worth ca f3 billion in 1992. The demand for delicatessen products has been influenced by a number of factors over the last few decades, ranging from demographic changes to membership of the European Union(MlC, 1992) The delicatessen market as a whole has benefited from the belief that del- icatessen products are fresh and natural, and for their convenience, all of which make them attractive to the consumer It has been recognised for many years that temperatures close to the initial freezing point(0+1.0C)are required to provide a long display life for unwrapped meat. Studies have shown that control of relative humidity over the surface of sliced meats and other delicatessen products is critical if a high quality display life is to be achieved Surveys carried out in a number of EU countries revealed retail display cabinets to be the weakest link in the chill chain(Malton, 1972: Moerman 1972: Bogh-Sorensen, 1980: Lyons and Drew, 1985). Product temperatures in Denmark(Fig. 11.3)were very similar to those measured in Sweden and the UK. Poor temperature control, either in terms of a temperatureto put heat into the store near the cabinets. This has to be carefully con￾trolled, as fast moving air near an air curtain will disrupt it. If the air is also warm it can greatly affect the temperature of the product inside. 11.2 Retail display of unwrapped meat and delicatessen products The market for delicatessen meat products in the UK was estimated to be worth ca. £3 billion in 1992. The demand for delicatessen products has been influenced by a number of factors over the last few decades, ranging from demographic changes to membership of the European Union (MLC, 1992). The delicatessen market as a whole has benefited from the belief that del￾icatessen products are fresh and natural, and for their convenience, all of which make them attractive to the consumer. It has been recognised for many years that temperatures close to the initial freezing point (0 ± 1.0 °C) are required to provide a long display life for unwrapped meat. Studies have shown that control of relative humidity over the surface of sliced meats and other delicatessen products is critical if a high quality display life is to be achieved. Surveys carried out in a number of EU countries revealed retail display cabinets to be the weakest link in the chill chain (Malton, 1972; Moerman, 1972; Bøgh-Sørensen, 1980; Lyons and Drew, 1985). Product temperatures in Denmark (Fig. 11.3) were very similar to those measured in Sweden and the UK. Poor temperature control, either in terms of a temperature Chilled and frozen retail display 237 70 68 66 64 62 60 58 56 54 52 50 012345 well removed Number of shelves removed Energy consumption per metre length (w) Fig. 11.2 Refrigeration load per metre length of cabinet as shelves are removed from the top downwards (source: Foster, 1997)