What are the characteristics and principles of cold chain logistics?

(i) Concept of Cold Chain LogisticsCold chain logistics, also known as low-temperature logistics, is a systematic project that refers to the whole process from ...

Oct 31,2023 | Barbara

(i) Concept of Cold Chain Logistics

Cold chain logistics, also known as low-temperature logistics, is a systematic project that refers to the whole process from production, processing, storage and transportation to sales, all of which should be effectively handled through appropriate temperature control to maximize the quality of food and minimize the damage to the products. It is formed by each link from the beginning to the end plus the corresponding logistics information. cold chain logistics requires monitoring during the whole process of storage or transportation. The main characteristics of cold chain logistics are high technical cost, high level of technology and good coordination, so it is actually an expensive way of logistics and transportation. At the heart of cold chain logistics is a supply chain system that protects goods from quality problems through the right temperature. In practice, every step of the process is much stricter and more standardized than traditional logistics, so the cost is also high. It is a complex systematic project.

(ii) Cold chain infrastructure

1. Cold storage

Cold storage is a kind of building with a certain space built by people for storing certain commodities, and the required temperature can be achieved through manual operation. In fact, it can store a wide variety of products, such as all kinds of meat, vegetables, soy products, seafood, medicines and even some chemical products to achieve the desired effect. Currently, many companies or factories need to build their own refrigerators to store their products, such as pharmaceutical companies, food companies, chemical companies and vegetable manufacturers. In the middle of the last century, the world's first artificial cooling device was invented, which can be adjusted within a certain temperature range. Subsequently, it attracted the world's attention, so cold storage has been developed rapidly and is used in all areas of society.

2. Cold chain transportation

For cold chain transportation, whether it is production and processing or transportation and sales, it needs to be adjusted to the appropriate issues in all aspects, and the quality can be further guaranteed in a specific environment. There are various forms of transportation for cold chain transportation, such as sea transportation, land transportation, air transportation, railroad transportation and so on, so in practice, there are often various forms of transportation. As far as cold chain transportation is concerned, the most important part is the transportation process. Because of its high cost, it is necessary to ensure that there is no problem with the relevant technology in the transportation process.

(III) Applicable research scope of cold chain logistics enterprises

1. Fruit and vegetable cold chain

Fruits and vegetables cold chain refers to the fruits and vegetables in the picking, processing, transportation and storage of the whole process of the use of cold chain system, to limit the whistle system of fruits and vegetables, reduce the volatilization of water, and effectively ensure that fruits and vegetables nutrients and adequate water. The quality of fruits and vegetables has an inevitable relationship with its moisture, moisture can reduce the loss of its nutritional costs, but lower temperatures can ensure adequate moisture. Generally speaking, the suitable temperature of ordinary fruits is usually around zero degree Celsius, but in actual production needs to be adjusted according to the varieties.

2 Quick-frozen food cold chain delivery

For quick-frozen products, it is necessary to immediately freeze the products at minus 25 degrees Celsius by certain technical means, and it is necessary to maintain this low temperature at all times during transportation to ensure that the products will not rot. For example, quick-frozen dumplings, steamed buns, chaos. In recent years, the domestic quick-frozen industry has risen rapidly, and the annual output of quick-frozen food can be as high as ten million tons. According to the relevant departments of the survey, in recent years, China's frozen food production enterprises nearly 2,000, with annual sales of 10 billion yuan. Quick-frozen food has strict requirements for storage and transportation, which must be kept below -18 degrees Celsius. At present, the specialized, socialized, market-adapted frozen food industry system is not perfect.

3 Cold chain of aquatic products

Aquatic products cold chain processing is a method of aquatic products processing, which covers all aspects of aquatic products from capture to storage, but also to extend the storage period of aquatic products, the whole process does not add any preservatives, is an effective method of aquatic products storage. With the development of practical refrigeration technology in China, the

Food circulation quick-freezing technology and related equipment updates have made some breakthroughs, a strong impetus to the pace of development of aquatic products. Even though China has made some breakthroughs in the field of aquatic products logistics and distribution, the related technology is still very backward in general, and there is no perfect distribution system and sound system in the field of aquatic products logistics, in which the core technology still has a certain gap with advanced countries. In fact, the scale of fresh aquatic products distribution has not yet been formed, just a single individual trader. Although people have established some distribution centers in the aquatic products market, the distribution capacity is limited in terms of both the number of distribution and the type and coverage of distribution.

4 Meat Cold Chain

The formation of cold meat a process is the pig or cow slaughtered, timely placed in a low-temperature working environment for analysis and processing, so that the meat from the normal body temperature quickly down to about zero degrees, and then the study of a day's de-acidification processing, in the subsequent processing, distribution, storage capacity and enterprise sales management of all important aspects of us in order to ensure that the temperature of the system is between zero degrees and minus forty degrees, and only the students Only meat that has undergone the development of the processing techniques of this product line can be considered cold meat. On the contrary, hot meat is the meat of pigs, cows, etc., which is slaughtered without the above mentioned treatments, and after a simple processing method can be directly affected by the sale of the network. In daily life, people usually choose hot meat, which is often slaughtered in the middle of the night and sold at dawn. Because not through the corresponding processing, so need to invest in the cost is relatively low, this is also hot meat has not been popular by the market sales business. Because for after strict requirements for treatment, will certainly be in the community a variety of different bacteria.

In recent years, cooled meat is gradually welcomed by people, cold chain logistics plays an important role in promoting the development of cooled meat. At present, the well-known domestic brands of cooled meat are Shuanghui, Dahongmen and Yunrun, of which Shuanghui has always chosen the distribution method of cold chain logistics, which greatly hindered the development of hot meat, whether from production, processing, transportation and sales of various environments have always won the freezing technology, which effectively promotes the development of marketable and branded cooled meat, and reverses the meat market For a long time to hot fresh meat as the dominant situation, the use of cold meat group more and more. It also fundamentally ensures the safety of people eating meat, so that people's health is protected.

Cold chain logistics and transportation requirements

1. Fast loading and transportation

Cold chain transportation follows a basic principle of speed from the picking of fresh food to the hands of consumers. China's annual waste from discarding rotten food is up to 70 billion RMB, which is 20% of the gross food product . A large part of the reason is that some fresh products cannot keep fresh and spoil for a long time.

2. Lightly loaded and unloaded

The skin of some fresh food is fragile and can break off if not careful. The entry of microorganisms can lead to food spoilage, increase food costs and, in serious cases, jeopardize the health of consumers.

3. Heat and Frost Prevention

Foods transported using the cold chain have extremely high ambient temperature requirements. According to the research results, the deterioration of animal food is mainly caused by microorganisms, while the deterioration of plant food is caused by its respiratory system, and low temperature technology can effectively reduce the survival of some microorganisms and reduce the respiratory function of plants in China, so it is necessary to do a good job of controlling the temperature in cold chain transportation.

4. Smooth transportation

In the process of refrigerated transportation, temperature fluctuation is one of the main reasons leading to the decline in the quality of goods, so the transportation mode should have good performance, and long-distance transportation is especially important.

Cold chain infrastructure Cold Chain Logistics