Developing an Intelligent Traceability System for Aquatic Products in Cold Chain Logistics Integrated WSN with SPC

Sustainable food cold chain logistics: From microenvironmental monitoring to global impact

Food cold chain logistics (FCCL) is a systematic engineering process involving the use of a low-temperature environment to maintain the quality and safety of perishable food and reduce food loss and waste (FLW). From a mechanism perspective, FCCL must balance resource costs for a required level of food quality and safety with the costs of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In the context of global warming, the sustainability trade-off between FLW and environmental impact has recently become an important topic in research on efficient, green FCCL. This is mainly reflected in technological innovation, management optimization, and policy responses. With a focus on three levels (micro, meso, macro), this review analyzes current research areas and the gaps and challenges of FCCL in microenvironmental monitoring, life cycle assessment (LCA), and global impact. Future trends pertaining to FCCL in technology, management, and industry and sustainable development are also summarized. Future trends involving sustainable FCCL must be intelligent, systematic, and low carbon. Industry empowerment through next-generation information technologies (e.g., IoT, AI, big data, blockchain) will promote the multidimensional perception, real-time information transmission, and sustainable control of microenvironmental monitoring, as well as support LCA management transformation from fragmentation to system integration. From a macro level, due to the serious global loss of perishable food, the FCCL scale demand is growing greatly, causing a huge environmental burden. Global cooperation, low-carbon consensus, and appropriate policies will become the basis for promoting sustainable FCCL development.

Recyclable low-temperature phase change microcapsules for cold storage

Recyclable low-temperature phase change microcapsules (LTPCMs) have the potential applications in the short-distance cold chain transportation due to their reliable reusability in cold storage. Herein, LTPCMs are synthesized via in-situ suspension copolymerization of styrene and methyl methacrylate in absence of harm substances, providing the non-crosslinking copolymer shells. n-Dodecane, n-tridecane and n-tetradecane, inducing the microphase separation of non-crosslinking copolymers, are successfully encapsulated to achieve n-do-LTPCMs, n-tri-LTPCMs and n-tetra-LTPCMs, which respectively bear the high phase change enthalpy of 110.53 J·g^-1 at -8.69 °C, 38.33 J·g^-1/93.71 J·g^-1 at -17.61 °C/-4.96 °C and 166.79 J·g^-1 at 8.59 °C and subsequently show the cold-discharging periods of 30 min, 40 min and 120 min. The multiple circulation of cold-discharging process indicates the excellent recyclability for cold storage owing to their unchanged cold-discharging period. Especially, n-tetra-LTPCM-65 bears the best comprehensive cold-storing performance in all the previously reported LTPCMs, such as narrow cold-discharging temperature range of 3-4 °C, long cold-discharging period of 69-120 min and low cold-discharging capacity of 33.4 J·g^-1·K^-1. This work successfully provided the recyclable LTPCMs for cold storage in the short-distance cold chain transportation.

Conceptual framework for general traceability solution: description and bases

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a proposed framework for traceability purpose. Hence, the framework provides a formal and structured way of viewing a traceability solution. This structure lays the required bases for a traceability system before starting development and deployment.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines several traceability publications, including systems and literature review. The study covers the traceability implementation phase. Therefore, this research approaches the traceability issue from three perspectives (description, engineering and executive one). The separation between aspects is essential when describing and comparing traceability systems. This distinction is also helpful when recommending solution improvements.

Findings

The framework identifies six traceability bases: aims, functions, specifications, data classification, processes and procedures. These can establish a basis for a general purpose tool that can enable users to develop an efficient traceability solution. Thus, the first ontology expresses the framework domain and ensures optimal use of it. The second one represents the bases that can serve as a knowledge base to manage the product data.

Research limitations/implications

The suggested framework tackles the implementation of traceability. Therefore, the design emphasizes the importance of technological concerns. Some studied cases could require more research angles (i.e. economic and legislative). Thus, framework enrichment is essential for further improvements.

Practical implications

The framework helps users to develop a general, interoperable and scalable traceability solution. These are important to promote the generalization of traceability systems.

Originality/value

The framework fulfills a requirement for establishing general traceability foundations. Therefore, the guide independently operates of the product or the industry specificity. Moreover, the bases aim to bridge the gap between solution engineering and traceability requirements.

Quality Monitoring and Analysis of Xinjiang ‘Korla’ Fragrant Pear in Cold Chain Logistics and Home Storage with Multi-Sensor Technology

Korla fragrant pear is prestigious for its special texture and unique flavor but suffers storage and supply chain difficulties for its deterioration-prone properties. In order to improve the storage quality of Korla fragrant pears during the whole cold chain from the orchard to the customers, the paper deeply researches multiple influencing factors of cold chain logistics and home storage of Korla fragrant pears with multi-sensor technology (MST), such as the temperature, relative humidity, concentrations of oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2) and ethylene (C2H4). Cold chain logistics are assessed by sensory evaluation and physiological index measurement, and home storage environments are classified by using back propagation neural network (BPNN) in both refrigerators and ordinary rooms. Experimental results show that the MST-based detectors can improve the accuracy of continuous sensor data acquisition, such that the preservation quality of Korla fragrant pears is effectively enhanced by data analysis on gas contents, firmness, pH, and total soluble solids. These results indicate that Korla fragrant pears stored in refrigerators have a higher acceptance for customers.