IMPROVED EFFICIENCY AND REAL TIME TEMPERATURE MONITORING IN THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

Within the EC Project CHILL-ON, supply chain management of perishable food is seen as the process of planning, implementing, and controlling operations to ensure traceability and maintain low temperature as efficiently as possible. The key issues in food production, namely safety coupled with industry's demand for transparency and quality assurance, are the main objectives of the various tools being developed in the project. The concept of the Chain Information Management System, called “TRACECHILL”, is to tackle the most crucial points and design and implement novel solutions for the cold chain. This includes chilling technologies, real time temperature monitoring, logistic traceability, smart labels as time temperature indicators (TTIs) and molecular diagnostic tools (qPCR) for pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment and Shelf Life Prediction models have been developed and linked with a decision support system for immediate responses to potential hazards in the food supply chain.