The Benefits of IoT in Cold Chain for TCS Perishables
Vanesia Adkins • July 17, 2020
The IoT, or Internet of Things, is mentioned quite a bit across many different industries and seems to have a never-ending amount of benefits for businesses and consumers. IoT also has a place in cold chain logistics, especially for TCS perishables. Here is a rundown of what it means for the industry and the advantages for food-related organizations, including production plants to restaurants.
IoT and TCS
TCS foods require special care to ensure they arrive at their destination unspoiled. No matter where TCS perishables come from or where they are going, everyone involved in the supply chain is required to monitor food to keep it fresh and mitigate waste. The right approaches here will save companies money while also keeping consumers safe.
TCS perishables used to rely on manual reporting and tracking. Mistakes could easily result in a loss of the entire shipment if the temperature dropped and went unnoticed or the delivery delayed on the road due to a breakdown. IoT allows companies better to track their investment with less hassle and less waste.
Benefits of Using IoT for TCS Perishables
There are quite a few benefits of using IoT solutions for TCS perishables that could save your organization money, stress, effort, and time. A few includes:
Automation Control of TCS
Those in the industry are incredibly familiar with TCS and what it means for their bottom line. Tracking temperatures and time are necessary to ensure that bacteria do not have a chance to grow and spoil the food.
IoT solutions allow for better control and monitoring of the temperature, humidity, and other conditions for your TCS foods. Fleets and storage systems can easily use software to track temperature, retain an appropriate environment, and correct if needed.
Alerts When Something is Wrong
If something does go wrong with the temperature for these types of foods, fast action is needed. IoT solutions allow alerts, such as push notifications, to be sent out to the appropriate people, allowing them to react quickly and ensure that the temperature or other issues are immediately adjusted before the food spoils.
Real-time notifications can inform you of issues with a cooling system, vehicle malfunctions, future repairs needed, or other problems within a setting. You can also set up alerts to notify dispatchers, so if there is a breakdown on the road, technicians can get to work quickly on diagnosing and repairing the issue.
Combined with automation control, alerts allow you to mitigate the chances of loss to TCS perishables in the supply chain.
Real-Time Location Tracking
In addition to temperature and conditions tracking, IoT solutions allow the industry to track the real-time location of their shipments. Those expecting a delivery can now know exactly where their purchase is at any given time, and those who have shipped the perishables can easily track their food if something goes wrong along the way.
Many restaurants and grocery stores have started requiring transportation providers to provide this feature.
Goods Sorting
Did you know that some organizations are now using IoT to sort foods properly? Previously, all perishables would have to be sorted by hand to determine which are ripe and ready for sale. Automation technology allows you to quickly sort through the foods instead, saving you time, effort, and, of course, money. It also can help to cut down on human error.
Grocery stores can benefit from this technology as food quality and freshness ranks as one of a consumers’ most significant concerns. Improved practices and policies could improve sales by 10%.
Better Audits
IoT for cold chain logistics also allows you to better track data. These metrics can help your team assess performance, accurately track TCS throughout the supply chain and identify issues (such as late deliveries or food waste) and maintain compliance. The numbers can ensure you are meeting the demands and expectations of your customers and keeping food waste to a minimum.
Your team can then take these metrics and improve upon your business model. You can see where the weaker points are and develop a plan to fill in the gaps within your current strategy.
There is no doubt that perishable food organizations can benefit from the solutions IoT provides. The technology can keep food safe and fresh, track deliveries, improve bottom lines, and allow for better auditing for your company.
We understand the benefits of IoT when it comes to cold chain management and how to use the technology to serve your TCS deliveries best. We would love to discuss how we can improve your business through these solutions. Visit our website https://magneticprecision.com/. For inquiries and questions, contact us at inquiries@magneticprecision.com.
