HOW TO OPTIMIZE FOOD TRANSPORTATION

Adequate transport is essential to ensure the availability of perishable and non-perishable food.

To ensure the quality and safety of food transport, it is necessary to follow a series of precautions.

A set of specific norms establishes which are the rules that industries must obey to guarantee the correct transport of food, with the objective of protecting the health of consumers.

See, below, what sanitary agencies says about how food companies need to carry out the logistics of their products.

Rules for transporting food

Food transport requires special care with handling, hygiene, vehicle disinfection, storage, among other aspects.

The movement of food products can be divided into two main groups: perishable and non-perishable products, each of which has its own requirements and particularities.

As determined by Anvisa, this step is regulated by two federal laws, Ordinance 326/1997 and Resolution 275/2002.

In addition, Anvisa advises transporters and industries to observe the application of local laws, as provided for in Law 8080/1990.

Some of the requirements include:

• Maintain the appropriate vehicle temperature;
• Keep the vehicle clean and covered;
• Avoid the presence of vectors and urban pests;
• Preserve product integrity;
• Avoid transporting other loads that compromise food safety.

Anvisa carries out inspections to verify that the criteria for refrigeration, hygiene, disinfection, air circulation, insulation and proper disposal of waste are being met correctly, in order to guarantee the integrity of the transported cargo.

Precautions for transporting food

In general, there are a series of main precautions that can be adopted, regardless of the durability of the goods.

Below, we list a series of procedures to ensure that your product reaches the final consumer intact, free of contamination and ready for consumption.

Invest in quality equipment

It is not possible to think only about savings when it comes to acquiring equipment to pack your products.

The use of high-quality machinery ensures that packaging is done accurately and reliably, providing an adequate barrier against external factors, such as moisture and oxygen, which can impair product quality.

It is essential that the package has seals with adhesion and the absence of folds, preventing them from breaking on the way, or even in warehouses with pressure received when stacking packages or bales.

In addition, high standard equipment helps to reduce the waste of material, time and resources, contributing to a more efficient and cost-effective production process.

Use strong packaging

Packaging must be resistant and suitable for the type of food being transported. Damaged packaging can allow the entry of microorganisms and compromise the quality of the food.

A good indication is the plastic film, responsible for protecting the product in relation to temperature, light, humidity, composition of the atmosphere inside the package and microbial control in processing, ensuring the quality of the packaged product.

Each packaged product must come with plastic films with different characteristics and raw material that guarantees the required resistance.

Well-structured bales

Bales must be well structured and properly stacked to avoid damage during transport.

With automatic balers, your grouping process will be more efficient, easier and more protective for your product, in addition to an organized, programmed and standardized grouping, ensuring more productivity for your business and savings in the workforce.

Delivering an unprotected product or damaged packaging means delivering a bad experience to the consumer, damaging the brand.

Check labels and expiration dates

Before transporting food, it is important to check the labels and expiry dates of the products. Expired food must be discarded and must not be transported.

The tape unwinder aims to facilitate the integration between merchandise, distribution and point of sale. Used with barcode tapes (DUN-14, for example) or with storage and handling information, it is a replacement device for printed reels.

Use a suitable vehicle

It is necessary to use a suitable vehicle according to the type of food to be transported. Perishable foods, for example, require a refrigerated vehicle to maintain the proper temperature.

Pay attention to sanitary conditions

It is important to maintain the sanitary conditions of the transport vehicle, with proper cleaning and the use of hygiene products. The driver and assistants must have clean hands and use personal protective equipment.

Monitor the temperature

For perishable foods, it is necessary to monitor the temperature throughout transport to ensure that the food is kept at the proper temperature. If the temperature goes outside the limit, the food can deteriorate and pose a risk to the health of consumers.

Adequate documentation

The transport of food must be accompanied by documents proving the origin and quality of the products. It is important that the documents are up to date and updated to ensure food traceability.

Employee training

It is essential that employees involved in food transport are trained and qualified to ensure product safety. They must know hygiene and food safety procedures, as well as know how to handle food correctly.

Compliance with regulatory standards

It is essential to follow the regulatory norms established by the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) and by state and municipal health surveillance agencies. They establish the minimum safety requirements for the transport of food.

Joint action

It is important that the different agents involved in food transport act together to ensure product safety. This includes producers, distributors, transporters and retailers.

The cooperation between these agents is essential to ensure the quality and safety of food at all stages of the process.

Moving volumes using pallets is still a widely applied practice, and can gain a lot of agility and safety when done in an automated way. It optimizes the grouping of goods, reduces time and costs, improves the use of factory space and organization of stocks, guarantees better quality in the packaging of palletized cargo, among other advantages.

By following these precautions, your merchandise will arrive at its destination intact, working in favor of your brand’s reputation and your customers’ loyalty.

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