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The cold chain : facilities and regulations
The cold chain occupies an essential place in the food sector, at a technical, economic and regulatory level. Because of its inherent evolution in relation to technological progress, it is present at every stage, from production to consumption.
The majority of food products are mandatorily subject to cold chain compliance, from production to consumption. This method of preservation is the only one that avoids the proliferation of pathogenic micro-organisms in foodstuffs, without altering their initial taste and organoleptic and nutritional qualities. During the various stages of the cold chain (production, storage, transport, distribution, sale), perishable fresh foods are kept at a temperature of 0°C to 7°C depending on their nature, and frozen or deep-frozen products are kept at -12°C to -18°C minimum. From meat products to seafood products, including dairy products and vegetable products (fruit and vegetables), all fresh food products are concerned and placed under controlled temperature. Currently, 360 million tons of perishable foodstuffs are lost around the world, every year, because there is no refrigeration to preserve them.
Refrigeration facilities and production
The cold is produced according to several principles: steam compression, cold gas, thermoelectric effect, absorption, Vortex, etc.
The inverse process of heat pumps, steam compression systems (condensation of steam from a refrigerant after compression, and its evaporation by expansion) are the most commonly used to produce cold. They work by piston, screw, scroll (with coils), turbo-compressor or steam ejection.
Energy saving is the subject of a lot of research and studies on the technical enhancement of refrigeration equipment. So computers are increasingly used to design refrigeration equipment (barcodes, transponder, RFID chips to monitor temperatures, etc.). Similarly, there is a growing use of temperature indicators (TI) and time temperature integrators (TTI).
They indicate whether or not the temperature of the product exceeds the agreed threshold using a principle that may be mechanical, physical, chemical, biochemical or electrochemical; however, they do not indicate the intrinsic quality of the product. Mechanical (probes) or electronic (computer data) temperature recorders are also used. As regards packaging, new insulating materials are being used, depending on the type of products transported.
Furthermore, the manufacturers of refrigerated vehicles contribute to the development of the cold chain and traceability on the transported goods by using specific equipment like chiller controllers with microprocessors, low-polluting chillers (low diesel fuel consumption and clean combustion) with noise reducer, chillers with all-electric transmission (maximum safety and environmental performance), vertical evaporators, etc.
Cold chambers and new technologies
These refrigerated units are the only ones with stainless steel cupboards that function more or less 24/7. Fueled by refrigerants or secondary refrigerants, the cold chambers are designed to function in positive cold (0°C to 8°C) as well as negative cold (-18°C). Like other refrigerated units, they are subject to draconian regulations. Several provisions have been established like the Montreal protocol (1987; specifying the condition for eradicating substances that damage the ozone layer) and that of Kyoto (1998; reducing greenhouse gases). The criteria taken into account are primarily environmental, then financial and technical. The choice of the refrigerant used to produce cold depends on these various regulations. The refrigerants include, among others, HFC (hydrofluorocarbons), HCFC (hydrochlorofluorocarbons), CFC (chlorofluorocarbons) as well as other fluids like ethane, isobutane, propane and cyclopropane. For the latter, the quantities authorized per facility (150 g) are too low for industrial use. CFC has been strictly banned since 2001 and HCFC have not been used to make new refrigeration facilities since 2010; similarly, retreated or recycled HCFC (including R22) will cease to be used after 2014. On the other hand, HFC (chlorine-free) are still used. They will gradually be replaced by so-called ‘natural’ refrigerants like ammoniac
the use of which has been simplified by the new European regulations (concerning the nomenclature of classified facilities for the protection of the environment), CO2 or a combination of both (NH3/CO2 cascade system), or again by processes (under study) that do not use refrigerants, like magnetic cold, acoustic cold (sending alternate sonic waves through a helium/xenon gaseous mix), gadolinium cold (by heating a refrigerant gadolinium) and hydrogen, refrigeration/freezing by immersion, refrigeration by atomization and low-greenhouse gas HFC (HFO, etc.).
The refrigerants work in the refrigeration system by what is known as ‘expansion’. In this type of feed, the fluid changes form in the evaporator, changing from a liquid state to that of steam. As regards secondary refrigerants, a distinction is made between single phase (liquids) and two phase (based on a ‘liquid-solid’ mix) refrigerants. They are used in the so-called ‘indirect’ refrigeration system. By allowing transmission of the cold produced by a generator, they are efficient and they significantly lower production costs.
Every cold chamber must be regularly serviced to guarantee its longevity. If the ambient environment is air-conditioned, the chamber will be all the more efficient and its energy cost will be lower.
Air-conditioning and efficiency
This indoor temperature management system is designed to maintain the temperature at optimum level. It is called reversible because it can produce cold or heat with a better energy yield than heating systems. In food shops there may be interactions between refrigerated display units and the ambient air that cause a rise in the temperature of the products. This can alter the quality of foodstuffs and damage the units (repeated untimely defrosting). Air-conditioning puts a brake on this phenomenon. Shops and sales floors use three types of air-conditioning: the electric or gas powered heat pump (direct expansion appliances), traditional air-conditioning with roof-tops (hot water battery powered by a centralized boiler) and direct gas heating with absorption gas roof-tops.
Over 95% of shops are equipped with this system and France is the largest European market for this type of equipment. This is a modular system that treats and blends two air flows (fresh air and recycled air), diffusing the whole after filtration. They are discrete (fitted on the roof) and good value for money. As regards the heat pump, it is fueled by refrigerants, like a cold chamber. There are mobile and fixed air-conditioning systems (mono-block, bi-block and multi-block). This equipment requires regular maintenance, which reduces electricity consumption.
Refrigeration regulations
In the refrigeration field, the regulations demand the control and recording of temperatures in cold chambers (over 10 m2), transport vehicles, and compliance with refrigeration performance levels for certain equipment. Furthermore, the standards for refrigerated display units are subject to international regulations (Ashrae EN 441).
In France, controlled-temperature transport regulations are based on the provisions of the agreement on the international transport of perishable goods (ATP) and on the decree of December 2009 covering the "hygiene packet" (European data).
Consequently, the carrier is integrated into the cold chain and bound by a due care obligation, like industry and distributors. Carriers must respect the HACCP procedure (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) relative to foodstuffs under controlled temperature (positive, intermediate, negative cold) depending on the regulations and the type of product (meat, dairy, etc.). The refrigerants are also subject to regulations (articles R543-75 to R543-123 of the Environment Code) in terms of their use and control (frequency of inspections, type of fluids and load, air-tightness of refrigerated facilities).
Francis Duriez
Sources : Snefcca, FNICGV, IIF, AFF, AFCE, Cemafroid, Min. Agriculture
Crédit photos :
Cemafroid: the refrigeration expert
With its long history and experience, Cemafroid is the benchmark in the refrigeration field and the scope of its competencies and activities is particularly extensive, including tests, benchmarking, inspection, certification, expert advice, public service, training, etc. Cemafroid intervenes throughout the cold chain, from production (field refrigeration) up to the end consumer, and in every business sector that uses refrigeration. As a result, Rungis Market professionals regularly call on Cemafroid for its know-how.
Today, Cemafroid is frequently consulted for advice on questions related to the environment (replacement of HCFC refrigerants by 2014), sustainable development and energy saving. Formerly attached to Cemagref, it is now an independent company that employs about forty employees (experts, engineers, refrigeration technicians) divided between its offices in Antony (92), Bordeaux (33) and Arras (62). Cemafroid has about five thousand customers, mostly in France, but also worldwide (USA, EU, Asia, Middle East, etc.).
Pro reviews
Crédit photo : FD
Philippe Roy
(Secretary General of Snefcca)
“Snefcca (national syndicate of refrigeration companies, professional kitchen facilities and air-packaging) is a branch trade association. Its goals are to inform its members, to represent the profession as a whole and to promote its businesses and renewable energies. One of the most important aspects of Snefcca’s activity consists in selecting useful information and passing it on to the member companies along with management support tools, if need be. This regulatory watch activity is materialized in the “Members” space on our website, by means of models of documents, contracts and fact sheets, sorted by theme (safety, refrigerants, maintenance, etc.). The market for commercial and industrial refrigeration is permanent, and users have to worry about the maintenance of refrigerated facilities. This is explained by the fact that the facilities are complex, expensive and increasingly regulated (traceability, health and safety inspections and more draconian temperature controls). The cold chain is an absolute necessity to preserve foodstuffs.”
Crédit photo : FD
Annie Pedrosa
(Quality Director of Ovimpex – meat products - Rungis)
“Ovimpex sells almost 25 000 tons/year of meat products. Refrigeration is absolutely essential in our sector. All our premises are refrigerated, from reception to shipping (including our lorries). We work in positive cold (2° to 4°C), intermediate cold (0° to 1°C) and negative cold (-18°C to -25°C – meat storage/freezing). The European regulations require less than 7°C for carcases and 3°C for cut products. We have compressors for positive cold and others for negative cold. All our cold chambers (temperature indicators) are constantly controlled by computers and by video surveillance in all of our facilities, with the intervention of a refrigeration technician if necessary. An interruption of the cold chain is simply unthinkable. The current regulations require cold measurement systems throughout the chain, including in the lorries, to prove that the cold chain has been constantly respected during inspections. The current refrigerants are less harmful to the environment, so we use R404. The present tendency is towards saving energy, sustainable development and environmental safety, via efficient equipment and the advent of humidity sensors. With the hygiene packet, we have an obligation to be in conformity and to exercise du care in terms of food safety. From being a critical point to inspect (HACCP), refrigeration has become a best practice. In our sector, the problem arises downstream, where refrigeration is not always a major requirement. The cold chain will undoubtedly expand and evolve.”
Crédit photo : UNTF
Jean-Paul Meyronneinc
(General delegate of UNTF – refrigerated transport - Rungis)
The Union Nationale du Transport Frigorifique (national refrigerated transport union) has 80 members who represent 40 000 employees, 12 000 vehicles and a turnover of €4 billion, or 80% of refrigerated transport for others (95% fresh food products of plant and animal origin). For the fresh products of plant origin, there are no really restricting regulations in terms of temperature, other than keeping the products in good condition in terms of health and organoleptic quality (ethylene levels). One can simply refer to the ATP regulations (agreement for the transport of perishable foods). On the other hand, for products of animal origin, there are dual regulations covering the refrigerated vehicle (according to ATP) and the goods transported. The latter has recently been subjected to the European Food Law regulations (hygiene packet) relative to refrigerated transport, in terms of food safety and inherent to the cold chain. Following the decree of December 2009, the carrier is integrated into the cold chain and subject to due care requirements like industry or the distributor. As a result, the carrier must respect the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) procedure and notably the transport of foodstuffs under controlled temperature (positive, intermediate and negative cold) depending on the regulations and the type of products (meat, dairy, etc.). In future, refrigerated transport (as a whole and in its different professions) will be equipped with a hygiene best practices guide for the entire part concerning it. This is a revolution for the profession in terms of work and responsibility, and additional costs too.
Crédit photo : FD
Didier Coulomb
(Director of the International Institute of Refrigeration)
“The IIR is an intergovernmental organization whose goal is to collect and circulate scientific and technical information about refrigeration technologies and its many applications, to the six member states (developed and developing countries) of our organization. We also have specific programmes for setting up the cold chain, notably in countries that have no cold chain or a poorly controlled cold chain (developing countries) by means of partnerships with organizations like the FAO and the United Nations. The cold chain has undergone some upheavals relative to refrigerants that impact research into the reliability of facilities, the environment (ozone layer, climatic change, carbon footprint) and the reduction of energy consumption. Cold production consumes a lot of energy (15% of the world’s electricity production, with half just for the cold chain). Research and practices are geared towards refrigerants that are simultaneously less polluting, less dangerous and even less expensive, but more effective and with a better health and environment guarantee. Similarly, the regulations are tending towards labelling systems in terms of energy facilities and refrigerated transport. In conclusion, refrigeration is an essential and growing technology and a sector with a future.”
Crédit photo : FD
Eric Devin
(Development Director of Cemafroid)
“As regards the cold chain, regulations and facilities are not necessarily correlated. The changes came with the harmonized European approach of the hygiene packet which went from a due care requirement to a means requirement, giving greater responsibility to professionals from the perishable foods sector, particularly in the transport sector. The controlled temperature issue is increasingly more a matter of logistics and freight, with the development of electric refrigerated vehicles, for instance. The future developments will primarily be inspired by the problem of logistics and consumption habits and no longer by the simple application of the hygiene packet. The logistics circuit will effectively make the cold chain more complex, through questions like the last kilometre, recording the temperature of a product throughout its lifecycle, the efficiency of display units, etc. without forgetting the questions of energy consumption, the environment, training and skills, and even the improvement of the cold chain in developing countries as a result of the globalization of markets. The cold chain is going to require greater technological achievements and changes in terms of behaviour.”
Crédit photo : FD
René Davison
(Technical Director of Simonet - Rungis)
“Our company is specialized in refrigeration and air-conditioning for the food sector primarily, as well as industry, health and defence, which represents about 300 clients. The cold chain has evolved considerably with the arrival of new technologies and new refrigerants (HCF R410, R404A, R134A, NH3, etc.) replacing those that destroy the ozone layer (R12, R22, R502) and the return to favour of ammoniac, due to European regulations that are more flexible than the French regulations in force until now. Furthermore, the regulations provide for more inspections and monitoring of maintenance agreements (air-tightness). Equipment like compressors (variable-speed, screw, etc.) has also evolved with the addition of automated compressor setting management. We also use more compact and hence more efficient generator sets and cold chambers with multiple compartments (in positive or negative cold) have also improved.”
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