Food Production

Every year, food manufacturers discard nearly 1.4 million tonnes of food waste, with 3.5% of this waste caused by poor product quality. Although this may seem like a small percentage, it equals to thousands of tonnes of lost product and financial losses. However, this does present a clear opportunity for businesses to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and boost profitability. 

One often-overlooked factor behind this issue is poor humidity control in the production environment.   

Humidity control for food manufacturing plays a critical role in: 

• Product consistency 

• Food safety 

• Compliance 

 Whether it’s baked goods absorbing excess moisture or ingredients clumping in packaging lines, uncontrolled humidity can directly impact:  

• Product weight 

• Appearance and quality 

• Food production processes 

• Shelf life 

Even slight changes in ambient conditions can disrupt automated filling, spoil packaging materials, or create environments that encourage bacterial growth. 

 For manufacturers aiming to meet strict standards and cut waste, managing humidity is crucial. Condensation prevention in food production reduces spoilage, maintains hygiene, improves energy efficiency, and supports compliance with food safety regulations like HACCP. 

Applications That Benefit from Humidity Control in Food Production 

Raw Ingredient Storage 

Controlling humidity is essential in raw ingredient storage to prevent spoilage, mould growth, and degradation of materials. This is particularly important for several sectors within the food industry: 

• Grain and Seed production – Can suffer from moisture absorption, clumping, mould, and spoilage due to humidity 

• Dairy – Ingredients such as milk powder and whey require dry conditions to avoid caking and microbial growth 

• Bakery – Flour, yeast, and other dry baking ingredients must be kept in a stable environment to preserve quality and performance 

• Brewery – Raw materials like malt and hops are highly sensitive to moisture; increased humidity can reduce freshness, impact flavour profiles, and promote fungal contamination 

 Humidity Control in Processing and Mixing Areas 

Controlling moisture in food production areas is crucial for maintaining product consistency, quality, and hygiene. Many sectors within the food industry rely on stable conditions to ensure smooth operations and reliable results: 

• Charcuterie – Precise humidity control is vital for curing meats as too much moisture can slow drying and promote condensation on surfaces, increasing bacterial growth. However, too little humidity can cause the outer layer to dry too quickly, trapping the moisture inside which can cause the meat to rot 

• Bakeries – Low humidity can dry the dough exterior during the fermentation stage, which can prevent the dough from rising properly. While excess humidity can slow down the drying speed of glazes on baked goods affecting the finish 

 Humidity Control in Cold Storage and Chill Rooms 

Cold storage and chill rooms are vital for preserving perishable goods — but without proper humidity control, they can become prone to condensation which can damage product packaging and cause mould growth. Balancing both temperature and humidity is critical to maintaining product quality and preventing spoilage. 

• Fresh produce – Overly dry conditions can cause wilting and dehydration of fruits and vegetables 

• Meat and poultry – High humidity encourages bacterial growth and surface slime, while low humidity can cause product shrinkage and weight loss 

• Dairy products – Condensation on products like cheese, butter, and cream can lead to contamination risks, affecting both safety and shelf life 

• Frozen goods – Inconsistent humidity can cause frost and ice build-up on packaging and evaporator coils, reducing efficiency and increasing energy use 

Humidity Control in Food Production Cleanrooms 

Food production cleanrooms have a much higher standard of hygiene than many other industries, due to the risk of compromising food safety. Cleanrooms can be found in meat, dairy, and food processing facilities, where temperature and humidity need to be strictly controlled. 

• Packaging lines – Moisture or condensation in packaging areas can damage materials or cause sealing issues 

• Cleanrooms and hygiene-critical zones – Helps meet hygiene standards by controlling microbial growth 

Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers for Food Processing 

Humidity control systems can vary widely between applications within the food production industry. Unit sizing and specifications depend on the target RH, existing HVAC systems, applications, and temperature, etc. Below is an overview of the different systems used for humidity control in food manufacturing. 

Isothermal (Steam) Humidifiers 

• How they work: Use electricity, gas, existing boiler, to boil water and release sterile steam into the air. 

• Ideal for: Cleanrooms, cheese aging rooms, or environments where maintaining higher humidity is critical. 

• Benefits: Accurate, hygienic humidity control; suitable for sensitive production areas. 

Adiabatic (Cold Water) Humidifiers 

• How they work: Use mechanical means to atomise the water using high pressure, evaporative, or ultrasonic methods of humidification 

• Ideal for: Environments where low energy consumption and cooling are important, in cold rooms to prevent fresh produce from wilting or shrinking, in open plan facilities that need custom zone humidification 

• Benefits: Very low energy usage, good for large spaces, free cooling 

Refrigerant (Condensing) Dehumidifiers 

• How they work: Draws air over a cold coil to condense moisture, then reheating it before returning it to the room. 

• Ideal for: Condensation in food factories, breweries, general processing areas with moderate humidity loads, and temperatures above 15°C 

• Benefits: Energy-efficient in warm, humid conditions; simple to install and maintain. 

Desiccant dehumidifiers 

• How they work: Use a moisture-absorbing material (desiccant) to remove humidity from the air. 

• Ideal for: Cold storage, drying rooms, powdered food handling, and any area requiring very low humidity. 
• Benefits: Operates efficiently at low temperatures; provides very dry air; reduces microbial risks.

At Humidity Solutions, we deliver bespoke humidity control systems for food production environments. From ingredient storage and processing areas to packaging lines and hygiene-critical zones, our solutions help maintain product quality, support compliance, and reduce waste.  

Call us on 01372 571 200 or get in touch via our contact form to discuss how we can support your food production operations.