The cold chain of food is of crucial importance to ensure the freshness, quality and safety of products. The correct handling and maintenance of the cold chain plays a key role for the entire food industry. In this article, you will learn what a cold chain is, what challenges exist and how compliance with the cold chain can be documented.

What is a cold chain?

The process that describes the uninterrupted cooling of food or goods requiring refrigeration on the way from production to the end consumer is known as the cold chain. The cold chain extends from production, storage and transport through to storage and display in retail outlets. To ensure that the cold chain is maintained, technologies for permanent temperature control, refrigerated vehicles and insulated containers are used.

Regulations on the cold chain

Die Einhaltung strenger Vorschriften zur Lebensmittel Kühlkette ist von entscheidender Bedeutung, um die Sicherheit und Qualität von Lebensmitteln zu gewährleisten. Ein integraler Bestandteil dieser Vorschriften ist das HACCP-Konzept, das für “Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points” steht. Alle Lebensmittelunternehmen, die an der Kühlkette beteiligt sind, müssen diesem systematischen Ansatz folgen, der die Identifizierung und Bewertung potenzieller Gefahren auf allen Stufen der Lebensmittelproduktion, -lagerung und -verteilung vorschreibt. Kritische Kontrollpunkte (CCPs) werden dann definiert, um sicherzustellen, dass Gefahren auf ein akzeptables Maß reduziert werden. Das HACCP-Konzept dient nicht nur der Optimierung von Abläufen, sondern auch zur Eigenkontrolle.

With regard to compliance with temperatures, the Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 stipulates that food business operators must ensure that appropriate measures are taken throughout the food supply chain to ensure that food, particularly perishable food, is stored and transported at temperatures that guarantee its safety and quality. This includes closely monitoring temperatures to ensure compliance with established standards and to minimise the risk of harmful micro-organisms multiplying.

The TLMV stipulates that the basic cold chain temperature of -18 °C may be subject to upward deviations, including short-term fluctuations of no more than 3 °C during dispatch and deviations of no more than 3 °C during local distribution and in retail freezers as part of bona fide storage and distribution procedures. Strict application makes it possible to proactively manage risks, improve food safety and effectively control the entire cold chain process.

Why must the cold chain not be interrupted?

Interrupting the food cold chain can have serious consequences:

Maintaining an uninterrupted cold chain is crucial for the quality, safety and shelf life of perishable food. Any interruption in the cold chain carries the risk of temperature fluctuations, which in turn can favour the growth of microorganisms. This can lead to loss of freshness and even health risks for the consumer. The cold chain must be unbroken from production to transport to storage at retail and finally to the consumer's home in order to avoid premature spoilage, microbial growth or loss of quality.

Challenges in the cold chain

a. Energy consumption: Maintaining the cold chain requires considerable amounts of energy. This high energy consumption raises environmental concerns as it contributes to increased CO2 emissions. The food industry is therefore looking for sustainable solutions to minimise energy consumption while meeting refrigeration requirements.

b. Transport risks: Interruptions during transport pose a significant risk to the cold chain. Power failures, technical defects or unplanned stops can affect temperature control and therefore jeopardise the quality of the food. Companies rely on advanced technologies and monitoring systems to minimise such risks and ensure an uninterrupted cold chain.

c. Temperature documentation: Companies often use disposable data loggers to document the transport temperature. This unsustainable solution generates waste and can be a financial burden. In addition, the manual evaluation of offline data loggers is time-consuming and prone to errors. The lack of real-time monitoring makes it difficult to recognise temperature deviations in good time. In addition, temperature documentation requirements are becoming increasingly stringent, further increasing the need for innovative solutions to ensure quality and safety in the cold chain.

Technology for automatic monitoring of the cold chain

In view of increasing requirements for temperature documentation, companies are increasingly relying on advanced technologies to automatically monitor the cold chain. Intelligent sensors, IoT (Internet of Things) and wireless transmission systems enable a fully automatic and permanent Documentation of the temperature conditions during the entire logistics process. The integration of automated monitoring systems therefore not only improves efficiency, but also the sustainability of the cold chain, as the use of disposable data loggers is reduced.

Conclusion

The cold chain is crucial for the safety and quality of food. By investing in IoT sensors for automatic temperature documentation, companies ensure continuous monitoring of the cold chain. This not only ensures compliance with regulations, but also maintains the freshness and quality of the food - a crucial contribution to consumer safety and satisfaction.

The correct handling of goods requiring refrigeration is not only mandatory, but also crucial for the safety of the goods. Accurate documentation of the refrigerator temperature plays a key role in this. In this blog post, we take a closer look at the aspects that are important when documenting the refrigerator temperature for goods that require refrigeration.

1. Why does the temperature have to be documented?
2. What needs to be considered during documentation?
3. Who has to document the temperature?
4. How can the temperature be determined?
5. What regulations are there in Germany?
6. Temperature ranges for storage

Why does the temperature have to be documented?

Accurate documentation of the refrigerator temperature is crucial for several reasons:

• Quality assurance: The quality of food, especially sensitive products such as meat, fish and dairy products, depends heavily on the storage temperature. Compliance with the prescribed temperatures ensures the freshness and shelf life of the products and therefore customer satisfaction. To maintain the chemical and microbial stability as well as the pharmacological activity of medicines, which is crucial for patient safety and compliance with manufacturer requirements, they must also be stored refrigerated.
• Legal requirements: In many countries, including Germany, there are clear legal regulations for the storage of goods requiring refrigeration. Regular documentation serves as proof of compliance with these regulations and protects against possible legal consequences in the event of non-compliance.
• Avoidance of waste: Precise temperature monitoring helps to avoid unnecessary waste. Products stored at the wrong temperature can spoil more quickly or lose their effectiveness and may have to be disposed of. Accurate documentation helps to minimise losses and use resources more sustainably.
• Consumer confidence: The transparent documentation of the refrigerator temperature demonstrates a high degree of professionalism and a sense of responsibility towards the consumer.

What needs to be considered during documentation?

Who has to document the temperature?

The need to record storage temperatures depends on various factors, including the type of products stored and the regulations that apply in the respective industry and region. As a rule, companies that store food, pharmaceuticals, biological products or other temperature-sensitive goods must record the storage temperatures. Here are some examples:

Food industry: Companies that produce, store or transport food often need to monitor and record storage temperatures to ensure product safety and quality.

Pharmaceutical industry: Pharmaceutical companies often need to monitor the storage temperatures of medicines and vaccines to ensure their efficacy and safety.

Organic products: Companies that store biological products such as blood samples or other biological materials often need to record accurate storage temperatures to ensure the integrity of these products.

Chemical industry: Some chemicals require specific storage temperatures to ensure stability and safety. In such cases, it may be necessary to monitor and record the storage temperatures.

Responsibility for documenting the refrigerator temperature usually lies with the operator or quality management. It is important that clear responsibilities are defined and that staff are appropriately trained and understand the importance of correct temperature control.

How is the temperature determined?

Accurately determining the refrigerator temperature is crucial. This can be done by using temperature recording devices that automatically record data and send it to cloud storage via the internet. Alternatively, manual thermometers can be used, which are read and documented regularly. It is important to check the temperature measuring devices regularly to ensure their accuracy.

What regulations are there for refrigerator temperature documentation in Germany?

In Germany, the storage of goods requiring refrigeration is subject to certain regulations that serve to ensure the safety of the products. Please note that the following regulations are only an extract:

HACCP concept

Since 1 January 2006, the (EC) No. 852/2004 on food hygiene to draw up an HACCP concept for anyone who handles food or places it on the market.
The HACCP concept consists of seven principles that guarantee the systematic identification, assessment and control of hazards in food production and thus ensure food safety.

Apothekenbetriebsordnung

Pharmacies are equipped with special refrigeration facilities and are obliged to ensure the refrigerated storage of medicinal products in accordance with the provisions of Sections 2a, 4 and 16 of the German Medicinal Products Act. Apothekenbetriebsordnung to document.

Temperature ranges for storage

Medicinal products must be stored in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions; medicinal products are roughly categorised into the following areas.

Fields	Temperature range
Deep-frozen (e.g. some blood products or vaccines)	< -15 °C
Refrigerator temperature (e.g. biologics, insulins, antibodies)	2 to 8 °C
Cold or cool	8 to 15 °C
Room temperature (usual storage temperature for medicines)	15 to 25 °C

Temperature ranges for food storage

Product	Recommended temperature range
Frozen products	-18 °C
Raw fish & minced meat	+2 °C
Poultry meat	+4 °C
Perishable food, fresh meat & dairy products	+7 °C
Butter, cheese and cheese preparation	+10 °C

Conclusion

Documenting the cooling temperatures of goods requiring refrigeration is not only a legal requirement, but also makes a decisive contribution to product safety. Accurate records and compliance with the prescribed temperature ranges guarantee the freshness, safety and highest quality of the products.

Sources:
https://haccp-hygienemanagement.de/was-ist-haccp/haccp_konzept/
https://www.pharmawiki.ch/wiki/index.php?wiki=Temperatur

PDF table for manual documentation of the refrigerator temperature

For those who still prefer the traditional method of manual temperature documentation, we offer a PDF table to help you record the refrigerator temperature. This chart provides a clear structure to record temperatures correctly. However, we would like to point out that automated systems with intelligent sensors can save resources and increase accuracy.

The following article explains why a PDF table alone is no longer sufficient and the advantages of automated documentation.

Why manual temperature documentation is not enough and how it works more easily

In a world where technology and innovation go hand in hand, it's time to rethink outdated methods of temperature control in refrigerators. Many organisations still rely on manual documentation with a thermometer and chart on paper to ensure that their food and refrigerated medicines are kept safe. However, this task is often carried out by staff who are already under a heavy workload. The good news is that there is a better and more cost-effective solution: automated documentation using intelligent sensors. This allows staff to concentrate on their core business again, which ultimately saves time, nerves and money.

Networked refrigerators for seamless documentation

Networking fridges may seem complex at first glance, but in practice it is surprisingly simple. Thanks to modern technologies, refrigerators can be equipped with intelligent sensors that can be integrated into the appliances with little effort. The system consists of three components: The sensors are simply inserted into the fridge, central receiving stations collect the data and forward it to a cloud application. The simplicity of these systems enables particularly cost-effective integration without costly changes to the infrastructure.

The advantages of automatic documentation with sensors

In addition to simple and cost-effective integration, systems for automatic temperature documentation in refrigerators offer a number of other advantages.

Conclusion

In a world where time and precision are of the essence, manual refrigerator temperature control with pen and paper is no longer fit for purpose.The use of sensors and automated documentation is not only more efficient, but also safer. When it comes to storing goods that require refrigeration and complying with health regulations, you should rely on modern technology. This allows your staff to concentrate more on their core business, which ultimately saves time, nerves and money.