With the advancement of IoT technology and refrigeration technology, food cold chain technology continues to develop. Based on refrigeration engineering and refrigeration technology, the food cold chain is a specialized supply chain system designed to ensure food quality and safety, reduce losses, and prevent contamination.

Perishable foods, from harvesting or catching at the place of origin to processing, storage, transportation, distribution, retail, and finally reaching consumers, need to be kept within the required temperature range throughout the entire process. Therefore, the food cold chain is a low-temperature system engineering process with a high level of technological requirements.

The main food categories covered by the cold chain include vegetables, fruits, meat, poultry, eggs, aquatic products, flowers, and other primary agricultural products, as well as processed foods and other temperature-sensitive products.

The food cold chain is a large and complex system. Generally, it consists of four main stages: refrigerated processing, refrigerated storage, refrigerated transportation and distribution, and refrigerated sales.

1. Refrigerated Storage
Refrigerated storage includes chilled storage, frozen storage, and controlled-atmosphere storage for products such as fruits and vegetables. It provides a low-temperature environment to help maintain food freshness during storage and processing.

This stage mainly involves various cold storage facilities, processing rooms, refrigerated display cabinets, freezers, and household refrigerators.

2. Refrigerated Processing
Refrigerated processing includes the chilling and freezing of meat, poultry, fish, and eggs, as well as low-temperature processing operations for frozen foods and dairy products.

This stage mainly involves refrigeration equipment such as cooling systems, freezing equipment, and quick-freezing systems.

3. Refrigerated Transportation
Refrigerated transportation covers medium- and long-distance transportation as well as short-distance distribution of food products. During transportation, temperature fluctuations are one of the major factors that can lead to a decline in food quality. Therefore, transportation vehicles and equipment need to maintain a stable and appropriate temperature.

This stage mainly involves refrigerated trucks, refrigerated ships, refrigerated containers, and other low-temperature transportation equipment.

During refrigerated transportation, temperature and humidity data loggers play an important role. In addition to maintaining the required low temperature, it is also important to monitor temperature stability, especially during long-distance transportation.

Temperature and humidity data loggers can continuously record environmental conditions throughout transportation, helping users monitor temperature and humidity changes and verify that food has remained within the required storage and transportation conditions.

4. Refrigerated Sales
Refrigerated sales include the storage and sale of various cold-chain food products during the wholesale and retail stages. This process involves manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers.

With the rapid development of supermarkets and retail chains in major cities, chain supermarkets have become an important sales channel for cold-chain food products. These retail locations widely use refrigerated and frozen display cabinets and storage rooms, making them an essential part of the complete food cold chain.

By continuously monitoring and recording temperature and humidity throughout storage, transportation, and sales, temperature and humidity data loggers help provide reliable environmental records for cold-chain management and contribute to maintaining food quality and safety.