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Emergency COVID-19 Catering for Healthcare Foodservice

Emergency Catering

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Healthcare system is being pushed to its limits and is bravely fighting the battle on the frontlines day after day. The demand for increased resources to support an influx of patients extends not just to medical teams, but also to Healthcare Foodservice – which is now tasked with heightened emergency catering both on-site and off-site as overflow makeshift hospitals emerge. Healthcare Foodservice must adopt new catering technologies in order to rise to this unprecedented challenge.

Mission Critical Solutions

With a pressing need for Healthcare Foodservice to scale up its operations and successfully cater to both patients and frontline workers alike, Pico has the remedies with mission critical catering solutions that are clean, safe and smart. The food warming systems that are most prevalent today, chafing fuels and induction, are both problematic for Healthcare where flames are restricted and electrical capacity for high voltage heating machinery is limited. Only Pico offers flameless and cordless alternatives that are portable and scalable.

Distanced Dining

Pico’s versatile VidaCasa line of flameless food warming and ice-free cooling solutions are ideally suited for Distancing. Healthcare Foodservice operations can utilize cordless H1X Hot Cells, C1 Cold Cells or water-activated HeatBlaster Instant Hot Catering to setup numerous serving stations, spaced at least 6 feet / 2 meters apart, where food is kept temperature controlled. This distancing practice minimizes the risk of cross-contamination and aligns with mandated Coronavirus protocol. Furthermore, these food stations can be made portable for off-site service in overflow environments such as tents and campuses.

Clean Foodservice

The sanitary design of the VidaCasa line ensures hygienic Healthcare Foodservice solutions that measure up to hospitals’ high standards of cleanliness. Some examples of how Pico’s flameless food warming and ice-free cooling solutions keep it clean are:

  • Reduced Touch-Points: Set and forget systems minimize hand touch and reduce risk of cross-contamination. Heating and Cooling elements are not accessible, operating underneath the trays.
  • Designed for Distancing: Half-size buffetware options facilitate having more food stations that can be rationed and kept distanced.
  • Roll-Top Lids: Protect food with covers and lids! The VidaCasa Universal Buffetware offers convenient roll-top lids, which represent the first line of defense in protecting food from ambient germs.
  • One-Time Use Disposable Options: Water-activated HeatBlaster Instant Hot Catering Kits are environmentally safe with no toxic fumes. Used kits can be disposed of and replaced with a fresh new set.

Safe Temperature Control

Medical environments absolutely require Flameless non-hazardous food warming technologies. This requirement automatically rules out the common chafing fuel food warming method from consideration. Healthcare Foodservice can look to Flameless Heating solutions from Pico such as the H1X Hot Cell or HeatBlaster for safe food temperature control with the following benefits:

  • Flameless Food Warming: Ideal for medical applications where there are strict no-flame restrictions. Eliminate the risk of fire or harmful biproducts.
  • No Wires: Unlike induction heating methods, H1X Hot Cell and HeatBlaster do not need any electrical outlets for operation. Avoid tripping over cabling and draining mission critical limited power resources.
  • Ice Free Cooling: The C1 Cold Cell freeze pack is a hygienic alternative to wet ice. Wet ice melts to create unsanitary pools of water, which are hazardous for slip-and-falls. C1 keeps a consistent cool for up to 8 hours, without the mess.
  • Odorless, Non-Toxic: Lithium ion rechargeable battery, and water-activated heating options are clean alternatives to fuels.

Smart Design

Only Pico can offer the innovative assortment of catering tools that enable fast and successful foodservice expansion for Healthcare facilities, with scalability. The lightweight and portable design of the VidaCasa line is stackable for easy storage with a carrying case for ease of transport from kitchen to service. Smart advantages include:

  • Agile Setup: Simple to use food warming and cooling systems do not require the expertise of a foodservice professional.
  • Cordless – Use Anywhere: With no requirement for cabling, Pico’s food temperature control solutions can be used wherever they’re needed, including off-site.
  • Stackable Components: Space-saving stackable design enables ease of storage.
  • Portable Carrying Case: Transport food heating / cooling elements with ease using a thermal Carrying Case.

PICO offers the necessary solutions to this growing problem, with innovative food temperature control products that are available TODAY. Let us help partner in the battle against COVID-19. We’re all in this together!