This sensor technology will monitor every pallet of fresh produce going through the cold chain
The food industry has one of the largest and most complex supply chains in the world. It involves numerous processes, from cultivation and harvesting to storage and transportation.
Each step in the food supply chain has a critical role to play in ensuring that fresh produce reaches consumers in peak condition. However, there is one crucial aspect of the food supply chain that is often overlooked, and that is post-harvest management.
Post-harvest management is the set of activities that take place after produce is harvested from the field, and it plays a crucial role in determining the quality, freshness, and nutritional value of fruits and vegetables. Proper post-harvest management is essential for reducing food loss and waste, maintaining product quality, and increasing the shelf life of fresh produce.One of the key challenges in post-harvest management is maintaining the cold chain. The cold chain is the temperature-controlled supply chain that keeps fresh produce at optimal temperatures from the point of harvest to the point of sale. Maintaining the cold chain is crucial for preserving the quality and freshness of fruits and vegetables, as well as reducing the risk of spoilage and contamination.
PostHarvest is a company that specialises in post-harvest management and has developed a unique technology that helps track and monitor the health and maturation rate of fresh produce supplies going through the storage aspect of the cold chain.
PostHarvest's Environmental Sensor Technology (EST) is a game-changing solution that allows real-time monitoring of environmental conditions in storage facilities without any human disturbance. Having the ability to monitor fresh produce conditions around the clock without the need to disturb the controlled environment or destroy product samples is a huge leap forward for the food industry.
PostHarvest's EST uses a combination of wall-mounted sensor panel hardware and cloud-based software to monitor temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors in storage facilities, such as ethylene and carbon dioxide. The sensors are placed in different locations in the storage facility and continuously transmit data to a cloud-based platform, where it can be accessed by the storage facility's staff at any given time, along with push notifications that are sent out to decision makers when storage environments experience noticeable condition changes.
Traditional methods of monitoring environmental conditions in storage facilities involve manual temperature checks, visual inspections, environmental disturbances, and product sample interaction/destruction, which can be time-consuming and prone to human error. With PostHarvest's EST, storage facilities can monitor environmental conditions with a highly accurate Parts Per Million (PPM) reading, which can provide users with proactive solutions in order to take corrective action as needed. Another significant benefit of PostHarvest's technology is that it allows for remote monitoring of environmental conditions. This means that PostHarvest's team can monitor environmental conditions in storage facilities from anywhere in the world. This is especially useful for large storage facilities that are spread out over a wide area or for facilities located in remote areas.
Compared to other industry methods, PostHarvest's EST is more advanced and efficient. Traditional methods of monitoring environmental conditions in storage facilities are often manual and require a lot of human intervention. This can be time-consuming and prone to errors, as well as causing additional foot traffic in the storage facility, which can disturb the produce.
Another technology that is commonly used in the food industry is RFID tags. RFID tags are small electronic devices that can be attached to products or containers to track their movement and location. While RFID tags can be useful in tracking the movement of products through the supply chain, they do not provide any information about the environmental conditions of the storage facility. This is where PostHarvest's EST technology stands out as a more comprehensive solution. The benefits of PostHarvest's EST extend beyond reducing food waste and ensuring that fresh produce reaches consumers in good condition. By reducing the need for manual temperature checks and visual inspections, PostHarvest also helps reduce labour costs and improve the efficiency of storage facilities.
This is especially important for small and medium-sized storage facilities that may not have the resources to implement advanced monitoring systems.In conclusion, PostHarvest's Environmental Sensor Technology is a breakthrough solution that is helping to revolutionise post-harvest management in the food industry. By allowing real-time monitoring of environmental conditions in storage facilities without any human disturbance, PostHarvest's EST is helping to reduce food waste, improve product quality, and optimise delivery times.Compared to other industry methods, such as manual temperature checks and RFID tags, PostHarvest's EST technology is more advanced, efficient, and comprehensive. By providing real-time, remote monitoring of environmental conditions in storage facilities, PostHarvest's EST technology helps to reduce labour costs, improve efficiency, and ensure that fresh produce reaches consumers in peak condition.
As the world's population continues to grow, the demand for fresh produce is only going to increase. To meet this demand, the food industry will need to become more efficient, sustainable, and innovative. PostHarvest's Environmental Sensor Technology is just one example of how technology can help to transform the food industry and ensure that fresh produce is delivered to consumers in a timely and sustainable manner.
If you'd like to know more, contact the PostHarvest team today at info@postharvest.com