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Everyone needs to eat sometime. From visitors to interns, hospital cafeterias can find themselves as busy places serving those who serve others. In addition to that, these cafeterias must offer full-service in-room catering for the patients. Accomplishing these tasks can be a tall order to fill without having the necessary food service equipment. The food is only one half of the equation when purchasing for the cafeteria. There must be some means to serve and deliver that food to those who need it. By knowing the qualities of well crafted food service equipment, you will be able to find products that will last to fill the catering needs of your medical facility.

There are many different types of required food service equipment. Depending upon your facility's needs, these could include utility carts, silverware bins, or meal delivery carts. There are certain hallmarks of quality which are inherent to all of these, and there are specifics for each piece which must also be considered when seeking out these durable goods. Generally, all of these must be built to last. Due to the amount of use and the number of users, these items can be some of the most abused and easily worn out pieces of equipment in the hospital. Delivery carts are dragged throughout the facility where they are constantly being bombarded by wall corners, daydreaming pedestrians, and elevator doors. Silverware bins are constantly having sharp knives and forks thrown into them, which can lead to nicks and dents in the sides. This is why you will want to look for stainless steel food service equipment or heavy duty plastic with reinforced corners or edges. Why stainless steel? For any food service worker, it is the preferred material for every piece in the kitchen. Not only is it durable, but it is also easy to clean and disinfect. This prevents food born diseases from adhering to the equipment. Unlike other metals, stainless steel will not rust. This adds to its longevity, which is the primary goal of all durable goods for a hospital cafeteria.

In addition to being durable, the food service equipment must also be able to deliver. There are different requirements for the many types. Silverware">All carts need to be tough and built to last. Bumpers on the edges are a boon. Additionally, if you need food service carts, you must find models which are built to control the internal temperature, no matter how many times the doors are opened. This is a vital component, since the health of the patient can depend upon it. Poor temperature control in a delivery cart can lead to food cooling down to the 'danger zone'. This is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If the food maintains this range for an extended period of time, food born bacteria begin to multiply. For patients, who might already have compromised immune systems, this could result in a fatal bout of food poisoning. By having reliable food service equipment, this scenario can be avoided.

For optimal longevity and safety of those whom you serve, you should only seek and demand high quality food service equipment for you medical facility cafeteria.