Why is the Cold Chain Important in the Food Industry?

The term ‘cold chain’ describes a very important part of the food industry. Cold chain storage refers to the temperature control of different goods, usually ones that cannot be moved or stored at normal room temperatures. Most items that have to remain fresh from one point to the next, will require the cold chain.

Why is the Cold Chain Important in the Food Industry?

Here’s an outline of the true underlying importance of a well-functioning cold chain to everything else.

For the Producer’s Reassurance

When the primary producer sells their food to the next person in the supply chain, they do it with the reassurance that their products will eventually reach other producers and shelves in good condition. A producer will only sell their products at all, when they believe the producers have their best wishes in mind – thus, a good and efficient product.

Cold chain supply reassures farmers and primary producers, that their brand name remains consistent with quality.

For the Food’s Longevity

Most food types will pass through cold chain storage: everything from the lettuce you find on the supermarket shelves, to the lettuce that makes it to your McDonald’s burger meal – without the cold chain, these products just wouldn’t exist.

We have access to evaporated, canned milk because it was a means to preserve regular milk for long voyages. Today, we have refrigeration units so there are more practical ways to keep food fresh and in viable condition. Restaurants in Turkey can serve food that was grown anywhere in the world and picked that very morning. Cold chain supply is why.

For the Customer’s Convenience

Cold chain access is convenient for the customer. We like going to a store and having almost immediate access to the things on the supermarket shelves. If you’d like to buy tomatoes or broccoli right now, it’s there, and you can do it.

Customer convenience isn’t the only reason for cold chain supply being important, but it’s a huge part of the reason why cold chain supply has to be effective. Without cold chain implementation, we’d have to eat most of our foods dried or out of cans. That wouldn’t be healthy in the long run, and it wouldn’t be practical for customers or companies.

For the Consumer’s Health 

Cold chain supply is important for food safety and consumer health. Foods that stay cooled down, will almost surely remain fresh. Foods that are taken too high above normal temperature levels, will instead drop in freshness by the second. They that have gone past their sell-by date aren’t always obvious to the naked eye, however, food that hasn’t been refrigerated can become extremely dangerous.

Have you ever gotten really sick because you ate something that wasn’t in the fridge for long enough – or something that was in the fridge for too long? That’s improper cold chain management on a smaller scale. Without cold chain management, food can’t be in its optimal state, convenient, or safe enough.

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