Perhaps the harvest was good and the pests were dealt with early on. Before the delivery almost everything was taken care of already. Vegetable farming, harvest and delivery is indeed a dynamic industry.
It’s estimated that the annual vegetable production in Australia is valued at more than 2 billion dollars. Expect that to grow further due to rising population and increased demand for fresh vegetables.
It’s a crucial industry, which is why there are strict measures in place during farming and harvest. However, problems might still be introduced during the transport of vegetables. In fact, the losses could be more serious during the improper transport and temporary storage of the vegetables. Fresh vegetables might quickly deteriorate due to unfavourable temperature levels. The temperature should be tightly controlled during the entire journey to minimise deterioration and financial losses. In addition, tight temperature control also helps eliminate the need for chemical treatments (stop the pest or eliminate the fruit flies and larvae).
Role of temperature in minimising deterioration
Most microorganisms thrive in “normal” conditions where temperature levels are also favourable to humans. For instance, expect bacteria to thrive and multiply at temperatures 8 to 26℃. These organisms produce toxins and accelerate degradation of the vegetables. The contamination and proliferation of microorganisms can result to food poisoning.
Companies and vendors are ruthless when it comes to discarding compromised goods. After all, their reputation is always in line. Just one problem could blow up to a huge issue that would affect the entire business.
These can all hinge from huge temperature fluctuations or failure of the vehicle and its refrigeration system to reach and maintain the advised temperature. Although vegetables might remain to meet the standards despite being exposed to high temperatures, this is not enough to safeguard the consumers’ health.
What’s needed is to ensure tight temperature control especially if travel times require more than 1 hour. Take note that a lot of things can happen during transport. Organisms multiply fast and the problems often start with just one piece of vegetable. It’s true that it takes just one bad apple to ruin the bunch. For example, the deterioration of one cabbage can accelerate the deterioration of the entire package.
To minimise losses in vegetable deliveries, tight temperature control is one huge factor especially in long-distance transport. That’s where COOLTRANS comes in. We specialise in temperature-controlled deliveries to help businesses meet customer demand and minimise financial losses. Contact us today whether it’s for a single-carton delivery or an 8-pallet load request.
