Taking care of the cold chain with a preventive approach in any industry that requires refrigeration is vital to preserve the quality of the products.
by Maria Cecilia Hernández
Proper cold chain maintenance in refrigeration processes is perhaps one of the most sensitive factors in the entire food and beverage industry. That is why it is essential to pay special attention to the maintenance that is made of each equipment that works to meet this objective.
ACR LATINOAMERICA spoke with experts and refrigeration professionals, to establish the general keys to a good preventive maintenance of the cold chain in any market.
Perhaps one of the most complex and detail-requiring factors in the care, cleaning and preventive maintenance of a refrigeration or freezing process is everything that makes up the cold chain. Therefore, every day people, whether technicians or operators, must follow a rigorous review plan for each element, equipment, machine and process.
According to the technician in maintenance of refrigeration equipment, Alexander Cossio, an element that makes the care of the cold chain much more complicated has to do with the fact that it is mobile. That is, it does not need to be protected at a fixed point, but must be kept even when the product is in motion or is being transported.
This means that the cold chain begins from the moment the product is extracted from its origin until it has been put on the table of the final consumer.
"In this way, protecting and maintaining the cold chain well is only possible to a certain extent. And this point is precisely how far it can be controlled by technicians or professional personnel," says Cossio.
In the cold rooms
Experts explain that the cold chain is composed of several links, one of them is the arrangement of the product in the cold room.
"We can say that there are several phases. In the first place, maintenance must be carried out with a daily frequency in cold rooms and refrigerated rooms," says Jaime Moreno, a mechanical engineer at the National University of Colombia and a professor at the same institution.
As explained by the professionals during this daily review, it is necessary to verify both at the beginning of the day and at the end of it the temperature of the refrigerator. It is essential to keep a good and detailed documentation in this regard, so it is recommended to record each data found in a control sheet.
It is very important to make sure that the temperatures are as recommended for the products being treated. "The same temperature is not always required, different ranges are handled for flowers, for medicines, for meat, etc," Moreno emphasizes.
A next step is to review the distribution of the products and their uniform arrangement within the refrigerators. In case of not complying with the particular recommendations for each case, it is necessary to document it and proceed to verify the condition of the product units. Then correct the error by distributing it properly.
Machines in good condition
Many equipment damages are caused by water leaks, drips and thaws. That is why it is of the utmost importance to carefully inspect the equipment that may produce this type of inconvenience. Wiring, pipes, grids, connectors between equipment and from these to energy. It is essential to check that the doors close completely.
It is important to verify the location of the equipment, that is, that it is not in unfavorable light or temperature conditions for them.
Another element of vital importance due to its consequences on human health is to maintain a strict cleaning and asepsis of the equipment and implements that are used.
According to the recommendations of the Venezuelan consultant Manuel Saldaña, cleaning plays a fundamental role in the preventive maintenance of the equipment that is part of the cold chain, so he advises "cleaning the condenser of the refrigerator with a brush of soft bristles, at least once every two months and check at least once every six months that the refrigerator packaging is in good condition".
After checking that everything is going in perfect condition in the cold rooms, comes the transport stage.
The Venezuelan places special emphasis on the assistance of highly qualified personnel for this phase of the process. "It is essential to check the conditions of the thermo kings, and their installed refrigeration units, that the temperatures are adequate, but for this there must be professionals specialized in the management and correct operation of the cold chain in transport."
A fundamental element at this stage is to avoid prolonged waiting times outside of refrigeration. There should also be a documented review of the stage of transport of the product, whether there were changes in temperature and what were their causes.
Risks and dangers
There are many risks that are run by not having a good maintenance, not only preventive but also corrective, among them we can mention the microbiological ones that have to do with a poor state of conservation of both the facilities and the equipment.
"Poor cleaning, poor disinfection, cracks in the parameters, humidity areas, presence of insects, rodents, mosquitoes or birds. Improper door closures and contact with the outside of cold rooms. All this is a huge source of pollution," explains Alexander Cossio.
Another variable is the poor maintenance of the equipment, when they do not work properly they do not fulfill their technological function for which they were designed, which is finally to maintain the refrigeration and freezing temperatures, the product can spoil.
Another type of risk is physical danger, according to Cossio, "it has to do with frost in refrigeration zones, scales, rust on screws, nuts, knife tips, sales and defective bulbs, metal shrapnel, etc."
There are also the chemical hazards. These cover everything that has to do with defects or errors in the lubricants of the machinery, the cooling liquids, and all those chemical elements that are part of the cold chain.
String validation steps
- IQ and OQ of all equipment involved in the cold chain.
- All instruments calibrated.
- Written handling procedures, for all movements of the product.
- Storage procedures in the general cellar.
- Enlistment procedures.
- Reception procedures in regionals.
- Procedures on distribution of products in different cities.
- Metrological assurance plan.
- Procedures on handling cold equipment.
- Verification procedures for the installation of refrigeration equipment or current standards.
- Emergency procedures in case of interruption of the cold chain.
- Change control procedure.
- Staff training
