Control vehicle temperature (4.12.2)

Hi there,

In the IFS Food standard is written in cause 4.12.2 (also in IFS logistics 7.2.4).
"The temperature of the transport vehicle shall be checked prior to loading and this shall be recorded".

I was wondering how other people manage this cause in a practical way.

Some of my doubts regarding this cause.
* If there is a combined transport (usual in fruit & vegetables sector) which temperature is the right one.
* Which guarantees would you get with this measurement. Because during loading a vehicle the temperature will vary a lot. The temperature of the product which will be load is in my opinion more important.
Controlling the working of the cooling engine is more worthfull, I think.
* When the temperature is measured and theire is a deviation with the specification, which kind of corrective actions would be taken (for example, close doors and cool back)?

I'm interreseted in your ideas.

Regards,
PAL

Can anyone help PAL with this query?

How we've done it is to check the air temperature when the goods arrive (immediately as the door is opened) however this is prone to error because as soon as the doors are opened, the air temperature changes.

I think the best way is to insist (and audit) that your suppliers have temperature controlled transport which is logged using calibrated equipment and they have proper procedures for out of spec temperatures. When the goods arrive, I'd then check the temperature of the goods and if they're in spec, accept the delivery.

I think that should cover the requirement but also be aware to review suppliers performance in terms of temperature on a regular basis; if you are rejecting deliveries on a regular basis or accepting under concession, it might indicate the supplier is not controlling their temperatures to a high enough standard and may require reaudit sooner than scheduled.

Thanks GMO for answering.

But the strange thing of this cause is that the temperature must be measured before loading / prior to load.
This hasn't to do with products we receive but with dispatching.

PAL

Ah sorry! Then in which case, you should have calibrated, temperature controlled vehicles with datalogging that you could check manually on an occasional basis with a handheld probe. I'd use the trailer's readout though on a daily basis to check the temperature is down to the correct level before loading because if it's calibrated, it should be correct. I'd also make sure that there is some kind of alarm to alert the driver if the temperature rises and the drivers are trained in what to do if there is a temperature rise during transport.

It's also important to remember that once the lorry is loaded, the airflow will be different.

Thanks for your reply GMO.

We could manage that for our own vehicles - because they have a datalogging system.
I hope that the auditor accept this working methode. We will know it next week
But what to do with customers who are sending their trucks to pick up the goods by themselfs?

For the hired/contracted vehicles we have set up contracts with all requirements inclusive datalogging, so that's also covered.

PAL

What about when transport companies subcontract, and the subcontractor subcontracts and the subcontractors subcontractor subcontracts etc. How do we gurantee the man on the bicycle is following the rules?

dear pal..

in my previous company i used temp. data logger to verify distribution of temp. of sterilization process ( conveying system).. whit that equipment we can see actual of temp. time to time (we set the equipmet for every 30 second measurement, and the sterilized run ± 40 minutes).. and set frequent of verification is every 6 mothn..

so.. IMO.. you can use the data logger to verify your temp. distribution fluktuatif, and for the checking i Agree with GMO..

Dear PAL,

We have this control printed on our paperwork for Inbounds/Outbounds.

On the bill appears a series of questions;

Trailer#__________
Transport Company:__________
Overall apperance clear & odour free? Yes/No
Floor clean? Yes/No
Product in good shape (case)?
Reefer temperature reading : __________
Reefer temperature setting : __________
Product temperature : _________
Seal # __________ Seal placed by : __________
Inpsected by : __________ Date :___/___/___

Hope this helps you!