Food Logistics

Food products are very sensitive goods with a low commodity value, which are subject to strong seasonal fluctuations and are traded in very large quantities during production and storage, but in rather smaller quantities during transport.

The vast majority of products are temperature-sensitive and many of them are also not shock-resistant. Except for delicacies, they also have a low commodity value and most food products also lose this value with storage/ageing. However, products such as wine or cheese can increase in value through storage. Certain foods are only available at certain times of the year, others are only in demand at certain times of the year.

Over the years, the trend has developed towards discounter products, which are already delivered on displays and distributed with low margins but in large quantities. On the  other hand, there is a trend towards organic products, which are usually produced regionally, have a higher value and are distributed in small quantities.

During production, storage and also transport of food, special attention must be paid to temperature, hygiene and documentation of the origin of the products and raw materials, always taking into account the short product life cycle.

Food products can be classified according to the origin of the raw materials, the ingredients, the origin, the processing method, the reason for consumption or the need for refrigeration.

Share of turnover of the food industry in total turnover (in Germany):

Hygiene in food logistics

The most important point, however, is hygiene. Not only in the warehouses or production halls, but also on the premises, cleanliness must be ensured at all times in accordance with the guidelines of the Food Monitoring Agency of the Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Agriculture, Nature and Consumer Protection. Preventive action must also be taken according to the principles of HACCP, which deals with the analysis, control and measures of and for the safety  of food products. Particular attention should be paid here to pest control, but staff must also meet the standards through regular training. The EU-Organic Production-Regulation also plays an increasing role as organic products gain more and more attention.

The Codex Alimentarius (Latin for food code)

It defines the following general matters:

• Food labelling (especially for organic and genetically modified food) (sales description, name/address of the producer/distributor/packer, list of ingredients, best-before date, indication of quantity)
• Auxiliary substances (technical auxiliary substances may no longer be contained in the end product)
• Limit values for toxic substances and food supplements
• Food supplements (vitamins, minerals, etc.) (additional health benefits)
• Residues from agriculture and livestock farming
• Methods for risk analysis of biotechnical products (plants, microorganisms, allergens)
• Food hygiene including HACCP
• Methods of analysis and sampling
• Feed additives and storage
• Other special regulations

The Codex Alimentarius is drafted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and its regional and technical committees. The Commission currently has 185 member states and the European Union as an organisation.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)

Self-control system for hazard analysis at control points to avert hazards that adversely affect food:

• Analysis of potential hazards
• Identification of critical points
• Determination of critical points
• Determination of and compliance with control conditions (preventive measures)
• Regular review of critical points and hazards

Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)

Guidelines for avoiding contamination, for consistent, reproducible product quality and for traceability (quality assurance):

• Manufacturing instructions
• Recording recommendations
• Labelling requirements
• Inspection plan
• Scope of quality inspection
• Notes on deviations from specifications

Food production

Even during the production of food, attention must be paid to temperature. In many production steps, the machines and processes generate increased temperatures that can damage the product. Hygiene regulations must also be strictly observed here. Even when time-critical products are involved, safety and quality must not be neglected.

Food storage

There are three different types of food storage:

• Dry storage
• Cold storage and
• Frozen storage

In the case of dry storage, apart from the hygienic regulations, it must be noted that, as the name suggests, it is dry and well ventilated. The products should not be exposed to direct sunlight and the temperature should be +5°C to +20°C with a humidity of up to 70%.

In the case of chilled and frozen products, special care must be taken to ensure that the cold chain is not interrupted at any time, neither during order picking nor during storage and retrieval. As many checkpoints as possible must be established for this purpose.

The temperatures of cold storages must be constantly between -2°C and +5°C, with a relative humidity of 80-90%. Goods that have not yet been cooled down must not be stored with the food already in the cold storage for "cooling down", so as not to influence their temperature.

Deep-freeze storages have a temperature of 18°C or less. Here, products are usually stored for longer, as their shelf life increases considerably. Again, the freezing process of new goods precedes storage so as not to affect the temperature.

Refrigeration processes basically increase the life of fresh produce by slowing down molecular and microbacterial activities. The degrees of cold and frost protection can influence yield, quality and nutritional content. The most commonly used cooling method is recirculating air heat exchange, although heat extraction with plate freezers is also used in some cases. However, the balance between the costs of the cooling process and the quality of the products must always be taken into account.

Principles of food storage:

• Seamless control of storage temperatures
• Food is not stored on the floor
• Use your own storage containers, as foreign storage aids can be contaminated with germs
• Separate storage of different, especially unpacked or raw food products
• Incoming and outgoing quality controls or rough damage checks

Food warehouses are basically operated according to the FiFo principle, as they are perishable goods with a mostly very short product life cycle, so appropriate storage equipment is necessary, e.g. flow racks.

Loose goods, such as grain or similar, are naturally stored in silos. However, such storage is almost only found in production warehouses before the product is further processed or packaged.

Food transport

In food logistics, high delivery reliability must be ensured, which means that deliveries, especially of fresh products such as fruit and vegetables, must be made just-in-time. This requires precise planning and detailed consumption/demand forecasts.

The loading and storage equipment must withstand special conditions. Thus, the choice of plastic is recommended here to ensure good cleaning, no corrosion and freedom from damage due to temperature differences. No products other than food may be transported in the transport containers.

Telematics systems in the transport vehicles are almost indispensable, as not only the temperature must be constantly controlled, but also the timely delivery to the end consumers must be ensured.

Possible transport vehicles for food logistics

• Tankers
• Refrigerated semi-trailers with 3-zone refrigeration
• Insulated box body
• Double-decker facilities, cross partitions (multi-temperature)