Fresh produce is a primary food source for people, satisfying basic daily needs, especially in the catering industry. However, due to its short shelf life and perishability, fresh food requires very high standards for transportation. Previously, fruits and vegetables were harvested when ripe, but improper preservation, storage, and transportation methods resulted in significant losses during transport.
With continuous research into fresh food delivery technology, cold chain logistics has emerged, greatly facilitating the storage and transportation of fresh food. Cold chain transportation methods include road, rail, water, and air transport, or a combination of these methods. It is understood that approximately half of all fresh produce is transported via cold chain, but only 10% is transported intact, representing a significant loss.
The key to fresh produce cold chain transportation is controlling the respiration of fresh produce. Temperature has a significant impact on the respiration of fruits and vegetables; the higher the temperature, the stronger the respiration. If the temperature decreases, respiration will be greatly reduced, the consumption of nutrients in fruits and vegetables will be reduced, and their shelf life will be extended.
Therefore, in the cold chain logistics of fresh food, it is necessary to maintain low temperatures and stability as much as possible to reduce respiration to a low level. However, the lower the temperature, the better, as different varieties have different temperature adaptability, and even the same variety may exhibit different temperature adaptability due to the influence of maturity and place of origin.
Having discussed temperature, let's now talk about the impact of humidity on the transportation of fresh food. Fresh food is easier to store in a slightly dry to slightly humid environment. For vegetables, excessive moisture loss during transportation increases enzyme activity, accelerates hydrolysis, and leads to the consumption of more substances through respiration. However, excessively high humidity often causes disease. Therefore, the relative humidity of the environment should be controlled during storage to inhibit respiration.
To reduce losses of fresh fruits and vegetables during cold chain transportation and ensure their freshness and quality, temperature and humidity monitoring systems are needed to monitor the temperature and humidity inside the cargo compartment. ICbuy.com distributes the Humirel HTG3535CH analog voltage output temperature and humidity sensor module from France, which features a microcontroller chip, linear voltage output for humidity, and 10 Kohm NTC temperature output.
The Samyoung HTW-211 temperature and humidity sensor module from South Korea features a specially designed molded package and coating materials that ensure durability and reliability even in harsh environments. It boasts excellent durability, ease of installation, and custom PTFE filtration and temperature output.
