Produce Quality Code can offer a better indicator to Shelf Life

Many methods are in place, or have been tested, to provide a reliable indicator of the quality of the produce the retailer puts on the shelf for the consumer. Each of these have unique and “tried” methods of prediction, but with so many factors that influence quality and shelf life in the supply chain it would seem to be impossible to provide an all-encompassing method.

With this objective in mind DeltaTrak has been working with the University of South Florida to find a unique method of Quality prediction taking into consideration: The time the produce was picked, the temperature data and pre-cool tunnel duration, the transport times and temperatures to the distribution center, and the final “mile” transportation to the retailer’s shelf.

Working with bagged greens, fresh cut greens and berries, the team has developed an algorithm and Look Up Tables (LUT”s) that when fed into the analysis produce a set of finite Quality Codes that can predict, with a high degree of certainty, the actual quality and shelf life of the product on the retailer’s shelf.

This model and the LUT’s have been validated against other tables like those from the USDA (used for shelf life predicators) and have come up with +99% accuracy level. Next step is to include this Temperature Emulation algorithm into DeltaTrak’s temperature and condition data recorders that track produce conditions from “Farm to Retailer” to ensure that the consumer knows the true quality of the food they eat.

October 31 2017
Category: Blog,Food

Author: Peter Norton

Peter Norton is a senior logistics and supply chain manager who is a consultant hired by clients in both the life science industry, and the food supply industry. Peter has extensive experience in both the domestic US and global markets specifically in the areas of cold chain management and security as this relates to the pharmaceutical industry to insure drugs that are supplied to the patient are at the required stability levels and peak efficacy.

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  • DeltaTrak’s Real Time Loggers have been a game changer for our trucking program. Having the ability to monitor temperature while trucks are in transit has given us peace of mind knowing the quality of our product has not been compromised. The alert notifications, light sensors, and GPS tracking are just some of the great features that have allowed us to make pro active decisions that have strengthened the integrity of our product. The FlashTrak Cloud Service is easy to use and is a great tool to compare and analyze data. The FlashTrak App is super convenient as well. We have used other reliable DeltaTrak products for many years and we were excited to see these added to their lineup!

    Michelle Oetjens
    Senior Global Logistics Analyst-BFP
    Ball Horticultural Company

  • When it comes to making sense of data (in the supply chain) we have found a partner in DeltaTrak. The fact that I could recharge the real-time logger and the dual batteries made a lot of sense to me. It was user friendly and easy to use. With the uncertainty and complexity of today's supply chain, having an effective chain of custody system is not only a clever idea, but a requirement for effective handling of perishable goods.

    Henry Helms
    CEO
    CH Logistics, Cape Town, South Africa

  • It is my pleasure to recommend DeltaTrak to your company. During these times of crisis, we were fortunate to work with DeltaTrak to source top of the line Non-Contact forehead thermometers and PPE supplies at a real market price.

    As a healthcare organization, we are a common target for price gouging and abusive practices from several vendors. With DeltaTrak, we found a partner that understands our needs and who always provide world class customer service.

    Luis Landgrave
    Procurement Manager
    Plum Healthcare Group LLC

  • Dear Fred, I would like express my appreciation for the good business relationship we have had during 2018. The excellent work of Mr. Jorge Hurtado has given me the confidence to continue maintaining our commercial relationship with the DeltaTrak brand.

    Mr. Jorge Hurtado's customer service efforts are outstanding, especially in finding solutions to the challenges that may arise in the commercial process. In my opinion Mr. Hurtado's professionalism is a model for any company, especially when the client is thousands of kilometers away from Modesto, CA. I look forward to strengthening our successful relationship into 2019.

    Valentin Bobadilla
    Valentin Bobadilla Centurion E.I.R.L.

  • We received the blankets yesterday and the quality was/is outstanding. Thank you for getting us a superior product, both our flowers and our customers thank you. :)

    Clint C.
    Aladdin's Floral

  • We have provided our trucks with your recorders for Walmart/Sam's and have not had any issues at all. Great recorders, small in size and easy to activate and place in the truck.

    Diego Calderon
    Delano Farms Company

  • Thank you Juan Solorzano for paying us a business call 4 years ago. The DeltaTrak brand is the majority of our Temp Recorder business. ALL our Walmart/Sam's orders carry the DeltaTrak Temp recorders for the past 4 years without a single problem with any Walmart DC. When you have a load of 18 different orders on a single truck and temp recorders on each order, WOW what a savings your DeltaTrak brand has save us. Yes, Walmart has accepted the DeltaTrak Model with no problems.

    Tony Contreras
    The Giumarra Companies, Reedley Cold Storage

  • This upcoming fall will mark our 4th full season using DeltaTrak recorders. They are competitively priced and the customer service is always exceptional. We have never had a customer issue with one of their units and we don’t expect to. We use a wide range of DeltaTrak products and we have been more than happy with every one of them.

    Bruce Densten
    Little Bear Produce