5 replies to this topic

[foodie87]

Our team has been pushing back on taking fresh/frozen poultry temperatures at shipping. Our current process involves taking the temperature of a trailer when shipping product. Temperatures are taken at front, middle, back of the trailer. We have 20 docks and I have received push back that this process is not manageable. The argument is that the product temperatures are taken at receiving and stored at appropriate temperatures (monitored 24/7). I'm not comfortable as we hold product for multiple sites and temperatures at shipping have been used to when investigating complaints. 

I'm curious to know if there are others who do not take temperatures of product when shipping?

[DFdk]

I need to understand it properly - is it out-going goods/transporters, that you measure the temp of (front/middle/back)?

If yes, how do you control the temp of a frozen truck when opening the doors?

 

I think its a question of "nice to have" or "need to have" - as It sounds extensive.

We do not have temp of out-going transporters as part of our CP plan.

[Scampi]

Can you clarify the pushback----------your shippers are talking about receiving temps too?? at your own facility? same building? same day?   

 

I can tell you that you are correct (for shipping ) to take temps, and a deep probe temp for 3 combos out of 24 isn't a lot of work UNLESS you are either

 

A) severely understaffed

B) only have 1 probe everyone is trying to share

C) the process of shipping/loading is chaos

 

 

If you DO NOT take temps you do not have a leg to stand on if your customer rejects a load (at upwards of $200k) due to improper temps

 

Lets assume you have a 3rd party haul your product---your teams verifies refer is working at set at 4C or less when they start and end loading-----it's 40C outside and the refer fails 20 minutes into a 6 hour drive---now your covered

 

The same scenario without product temps verified AND recorded and loading???????? your on the hook for the rejection/loss of that whole load

 

I have 10+ years of slaughterhouse experience    DO NOT let your shippers dictate best practice  but DO get to the root cause because I'm willing to wager that it isn't this task that is the problem

[niratk7]

Hey Foodie87, 

 

I have some questions, as I work with companies like Tyson Foods on improving similar operations, before offering some advice on your topic: 

 

1. How much time do you think is being spent doing this daily/weekly per operator? 
2. What's the potential costs associated with a complaint? 
3. Is this a GMP/FDA requirement to document this information? 

[DFdk]

Can you clarify the pushback----------your shippers are talking about receiving temps too?? at your own facility? same building? same day?   

 

I can tell you that you are correct (for shipping ) to take temps, and a deep probe temp for 3 combos out of 24 isn't a lot of work UNLESS you are either

 

A) severely understaffed

B) only have 1 probe everyone is trying to share

C) the process of shipping/loading is chaos

 

 

If you DO NOT take temps you do not have a leg to stand on if your customer rejects a load (at upwards of $200k) due to improper temps

 

Lets assume you have a 3rd party haul your product---your teams verifies refer is working at set at 4C or less when they start and end loading-----it's 40C outside and the refer fails 20 minutes into a 6 hour drive---now your covered

 

The same scenario without product temps verified AND recorded and loading???????? your on the hook for the rejection/loss of that whole load

 

I have 10+ years of slaughterhouse experience    DO NOT let your shippers dictate best practice  but DO get to the root cause because I'm willing to wager that it isn't this task that is the problem

 

I would assume a contract with your hauler in above scenario would be more than sufficient?

 

Not sure if this is a geography thing - but i have tried your above scenario with goods worth up to around 125.000 USD.

Here, you are obligated to sell the goods and limit the damage for your hauler. You even have to document its the best possible price for the goods.

 

We do not document temp of haulers, but we do ask drivers randomly (about 75% of 3rd part drivers) about set points in their trailers.

We never had any issues with any auditors, with this approach.

[Scampi]

To be clear, in Canada-you are on the hook 100% if the load isn't verified for proper temps prior to loading--from experience if the core temp of a combo of fresh poultry isn't 4C or less at loading it WILL RISE during transport (law of thermodynamics) and most receiving plants require it to be 7C as a MAXIMUM

 

As a federally regulated establishment, the issue isn't with auditors, it's with the federal government

 

If the temp is too high on raw meat the only outlet is pet food, and even then as i mentioned on raw poultry-the window of safe temps is actually quite small

 

I have bought loads that were coming out of Georgia in the USA and had them arrive spoiled because 

A) the temps were taken at loading

 

B) dry ice had not been applied in layers as it should have

 

Load fully rejected----it went straight to rendering and the originating plants expense

 

 

And based on the number of recalls Tyson Foods has had, i don't know that they should be the gold standard OR be reducing the amount of inspections they have generally speaking

Edited by Scampi, 12 July 2023 - 12:53 PM.