Freshness is the leading quality required for a food product. Whether it is a processed or unprocessed product, everything must be done to keep it fresh so that it is suitable for eating. However, the transportation of these products from the production site to the distributors can be spread out over a more or less long period. It is, therefore, necessary to provide measures to preserve the excellent quality of these products for the benefit of consumers.
Hygiene
Hygiene conditions are points that should not be neglected in all areas. Guaranteeing health and salubrity is an essential criterion for all living beings. And the vigilance must be accentuated when it comes to food. It must indeed bring us the necessary energy to survive and not transmit infections.
For this reason, when transporting food products, everything must meet impeccable standards of cleanliness. The containers containing the products must first be disinfected to eliminate bacteria that could cause illness or rot the product. Then, the vehicles used to transport them must be maintained and purified.
Freshness
Food products can travel a long way from the place of production. However, a product can no longer be qualified as fresh once a specific time has passed. In the worst case, the products transported can deteriorate under the effect of the air and the surrounding conditions.
Relying on speed is not always a safe option because of the unforeseen events that can occur along the way. It is therefore essential to be prepared for this eventuality. Some specialized transport companies have found an effective way to preserve the freshness of the products transported.
They have equipped their transport vehicles with a compartment whose temperature can be adjusted according to the nature of the product to be transported. This method is very successful because it ensures that the product remains in good condition regardless of the duration of the journey.
The temperature
The transporter must be careful about the temperature at which the foodstuffs must be kept during the journey. Indeed, each product has specific characteristics, and its conservation mode varies from one product to another. For example, frozen or deep-frozen products must be kept at a temperature of around -18° and -12°C.
Products such as meat or fish need a temperature between -9° and 2°C. And products that need to be delivered fresh such as fruits and vegetables, need to be kept at a temperature between 4° and 8°C. Once they arrive at their destination, these temperatures must still be respected not to accelerate the decomposition process of the products.
Loading
The arrangement of the products in the transport vehicle must follow specific measures to ensure their safety. Firstly, they must be well packed so that they do not scatter at the slightest shake. Then, their arrangement must be careful, taking care not to put the fragile products underneath the others to avoid them being crushed. It is also necessary to take care of their arrangement so that they do not mix: one cannot, for example, put fish in contact with fruits or vegetables.
The mode of transport
It is essential to choose a means of transport adapted to the type and quantity of the goods to be transported. Refrigerated cars are the best means of transportation for easily perishable products. Heavy products should be transported in larger cars to avoid congestion, facilitating decomposition, even at optimal temperatures. Enough space should be left between each package to allow it to air out.
Speed and vigilance
The food handler must be impeccably responsible. He must drive carefully to avoid shaking the load while ensuring that he maintains optimal speed to meet the delivery time. They must be responsive enough to move their cargo in a timely manner. They must also constantly monitor the condition of the products they are transporting.
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