Temperature-sensitive foods such as meat, seafood, dairy products and fresh produce require proper handling during transportation to prevent spoilage. Reefer trucks are fitted with refrigeration systems to maintain these foods at a preset temperature throughout transit. However, even with such technologies available, extra care is required to avoid compromising the quality of the products.
As you choose a transport company to handle your product, it's essential to look into the following best practices that ensure quality is maintained throughout transit.
Proper Handling Before Transit
Poor handling of temperature-sensitive foods before transit can lead to hot loads. Hot loads refer to products that are at the wrong temperature before being loaded onto the reefer truck. This occurs if food products are left without refrigeration for an extended period before loading. If this happens, the risk of spoilage or quality deterioration is high even when you use refrigerated transport.
Work with a company that has procedures in place to ensure proper handling of food before transport. These may include providing portable refrigeration systems that can be used to store the products before loading them onto the transport vehicle.
Pre-Established Measures for Handling Problems
A lot can go wrong during transport, and the last thing you want is to end up with spoiled goods. Whether it's equipment failure or truck failure, problems along the way can lead to spoilage due to temperature changes or extended delivery times. Work with a company that has pre-established measures to handle such risks.
Preventive measures such as the proper servicing of trucks and the inspection of refrigeration equipment can help prevent risks. However, when they do occur, the dispatcher should communicate with the driver and promptly address the issues.
Temperature Monitoring
Temperature changes in reefer trucks may be frequent. This may be due to insulation problems or heat transfer among the goods. Heat may also be an issue if the driver has to make several stops to offload some products along the way.
Setting up an automated temperature monitoring system helps ensure the foods are within the acceptable temperature at all times. The company should have structures in place to monitor and control the temperature in the reefer truck throughout the journey.
Timely Deliveries
Finally, timely delivery is key to ensuring goods maintain their quality. Work with a company that promises timely deliveries and has a track record of delivering temperature-sensitive goods within the stipulated period. The dispatcher should also allow you to track the goods while they are in transit. This way, you can prepare for delivery and avail refrigeration systems to preserve the food products after offloading.
As you look for a transport company, ask about these best practices regarding handling temperature-sensitive food products. Also, ensure they have compensation plans in place to pay for any spoilage that occurs during transit.
To learn more, contact a company that offers refrigerated transport services.
On this site, I hope you explain a thing or two about the transportation network in this country. By increasing your understanding, you will be able to better plan your trips from one place to another or to arrange for goods or belongings to be moved from point A to point B. I'm no expert when it comes to this subject, but I do have a passion for it. I started writing this blog so I could explore my love for different methods of transportation such as buses, cars, bikes, and trucks. Thank you for stopping by. I hope you like what I've posted here.