The Importance of Temperature Control While Food is in Transit
When it comes to food transportation, maintaining the right temperature is a major concern. A recent report suggests that contaminated food results in about 5.4 million cases of gastroenteritis in Australia annually, leading to the dumping of $5.2 billion of food each year. This has led to a rise in quality refrigerated transport companies whose primary role is to transport your food safely.
Hazardous effects are discussed below –
1.Meat and poultry products
For meat and poultry products the danger zone is 40 °F to 140 °F. Within this range, bacteria multiply almost to double their number within 20 minutes. Storing at 0 °F will slow down the movement of the molecules making the bacteria enter a dormant stage.
2.Fish and seafood products
Microbial bacterial infestation in fish and seafood increases at any temperature greater than 0 °C. Pathogens like Vibrio vulnificus, Salmonella spp, Vibrio parahaemoluticus, Shigella spp, Vibrio cholera, and C. botulinum are formed in fish-based food. Among these, C. botulinum’s growth and toxicity can be especially severe. While transporting, if the temperature is kept at 0 °C, the growth rate of bacteria is reduced.
3.Fruits and vegetables
Once picked from the plant, fruits and vegetables begin to deteriorate. The water present within the fruits and vegetables starts to evaporate resulting in the development of pathogenic fungi if they are not stored at a cold temperature.
4.Egg and egg products
Salmonella is the most common pathogen that can be found in eggs and egg products. At normal temperatures, the integrity of the shell is compromised over time, and the pathogen gets access to the yolk. If the temperature is more than 7 °C, another microbial bacteria named L. monocytogenes contributes to the spoilage of egg products.
5.Milk and milk products
Bacterial growth in milk is minimised if the temperature is kept below 45 °F, but in order to maintain the best quality, one should keep the temperature below 40 °F. From storage to transportation it to your clients, the temperature must be maintained strictly.
Food safety is something that no one should take lightly. Basic safety standards dictate that the temperature must be 5 °C or lower for transporting food items. Always use refrigerated transport services to ensure your food remains bacteria free and fresh.
