Peak cold chain body, the Australian Food Cold Chain Council, is currently rewriting standards and developing a code of practice to improve the cold chain. This article first appeared in the January/February 2022 edition of Food & Drink Business.
Australia’s cold chain as a “unique beast”, having to cover long distances with small populations under very hot conditions says the Australian Food Cold Chain Council (AFCCC) chair Mark Mitchell.
As the council sets about developing a Cold Food Code of Practice, Mitchell says the goal is to establish world’s best practice for what is a “very competitive and dynamic” industry.
The right processes
Speaking at the 2021 Climate Control News LIVE event, Mitchell says to make the cold chain more compliant the right processes had to be in place, and that was the hardest part.
Recognising that the cold chain is basically a Quality Management System (QMS) was an important step.
“There are control points for food handling and storage. When there is a handover or change of custody the QMS needs to recognise these control points,” he says.
“Cold chain practitioners must verify QMS and have a process in place to do so. There is stacks of technology out there to do this – it just needs to be utilised properly,” Mitchell says.
“Technology has been out there for years, web portals are sophisticated, and there is plenty of data; we just need to use it.”
Commitment to the fundamentals
Mitchell said other issues that are important include packing, stacking and wrapping.
“Airflow is crucial. You could have best refrigerated system in the world but bad processes. You need both to be working successfully,” he says.
Mitchell also calls for the sector to commit to basic training on fundamentals like how to use a thermometer correctly.
The Department of Agriculture in partnership with Refrigerants Australia have developed resources that cover the basics.
