Transportation, Food Safety & Temperature Monitoring: A Global Movement

With an increased activity in the developing nations to improve food safety initiatives - coupled with the launch of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), plus a greater than ever demand for foods high in protein and fresher frozen goods - the need for refrigerated transportation solutions has become a highlight within the cold chain industry.

Visit www.fda.gov to understand more about the FSMA’s Rule on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food.

More and more, perishable foods are being shipped longer distances; either by truck, ship, rail, or air. The challenge met by most of these transportation decision makers is determining which solutions best meets their temperature monitoring needs and if these solutions do indeed comply with regulatory specifications.

With DeltaTrak’s solutions, it’s possible to transport temperature-sensitive commodities throughout the world, and to monitor appropriate temperatures during the entire journey.

With FlashTrak Telematics, for example, DeltaTrak provides the required tracking and monitoring services that improve efficiency, enhance cargo safety, and maintain good regulatory standings with food safety agencies – all while providing real-time data collection at any specified point along the cold chain.

The FlashTrak Telematics Real-Time Mobile Solution provides the tools to monitor trucks 24/7 as they travel across the country. It offers the ability to monitor commodities with ambient temperature, GPS location, actual product temperature using DeltaTrak's unique product emulation feature, and provide up to date, customer-specific alerts. The data is uploaded to the ColdTrak Data Central cloud-based service, using either the cellular data network or WiFi, which the user has access to from anywhere in the world.

In keeping with the FDA Food Code, food temperatures should be constantly monitored and recorded throughout the transportation process. If there is an excursion in temperature, immediate corrective action can be taken, thus avoiding higher costs from loss of products, or recalls.

Important tips when transporting perishable products:

• Make sure temperature for all carriers are checked with a calibrated thermometer before loading food. Here is a short video on how to properly calibrate a thermometer.
• Check food temperatures before placing in the container, at all stopping points, and when the food arrives at its destination. Here is a quick video about DeltaTrak’s In-Transit Temperature Recorders for trucks, rail cars, ocean, and air freight containers.

Tracking perishable loads and date-sensitive products as they travel saves money and time and brings peace of mind. With temperature recorders, data loggers, and real-time monitoring systems, problems will get noticed sooner and drivers/transportation workers can be notified immediately to potentially take corrective action.

If costs are a concern when it comes to deciding to purchase temperature monitoring devices for transporting foods, the costs incurred at the beginning are recouped almost immediately.

Here are the benefits (both in currency and mental well-being) when you employ temperature monitoring devices along with your loads. You will:

1. Avoid the ‘finger-pointing’ if a load gets rejected at docking, or when a temperature excursion happens en route.
2. Avoid the costs/fines incurred by not having a preventive food safety plan (HACCP/HARPC) in place when transporting perishable goods.
3. Avoid enduring the unnecessary headaches from health officials inspecting your loads because of ‘reason to believe’ that your food safety practices are unsafe.
4. Reduce loss of product by pre-empting a load from being lost due to spoilages or long-term temperature abuses.
5. Attain complete visibility and traceability – which is incredibly important in case of recalls and in the interest of best practices for record keeping.