Transport Perishable Produce at Chilled Temperatures

Maintaining an optimal temperature during the transport of perishables is essential. To ensure products are delivered fresh, healthy and safely to the handling facilities at the port of destination, perishables like fresh food, plants and flowers are transported at a specific temperature. On average 40% of product is lost during the transportation from the farm to the consumer.

This problem can be easily solved by combining Phase Change Material (PCM) with the fresh products in a thermo packing protection. Pluss Advanced Technologies offers high end PCM and related packing solutions to keep products at the correct and desired temperature during the trip from supplier to the consignee. PCM can be used with all types of perishable goods, including fresh flowers, meat, fish, and soft fruits.

Important Information

New legislation for perishable logistics providers, in many European cities will, in the near future, prohibit the use of diesel- powered cooling trucks for last mile delivery. Reefer trucks fitted with PCM panels, can now be cooled/frozen prior to use, thus reducing the overall transportation cost by 50%.

The same applies to cool rooms. PCMs in pouches or flat panels are widely used in coolers and freezers. Pluss PCM solutions not only help in maintaining the temperature within the desired range but also reduce the operating costs by 15 -20%.

There are different types of PCM’s for every case and temperature there is a best fit.

Dry Produce in Sunny Areas

Aagun® is a portable dryer that can operate continuously and completely off-grid. The Aagun® dryer is able to provide continuous and consistent drying in a closed, hygienic manner without the use of power from a grid or battery power. Aagun® uses phase change material (PCM) technology to capture solar energy during the day and allow the use of thermal energy reserves at night. This makes it possible to operate a drying system continuously with virtually zero cost whilst also enhancing the produce’s value and shelf life.

Aagun^® Benefits

Consistent Drying: Continuous 24×7 drying operation with consistent 45°-55°C temperature without electricity.
Improved Productivity:Drying duration is ~60% of conventional solar dryers resulting in reduced food wastage and higher productivity.
Improved Post-Harvest Quality: Better quality dried product with higher nutritional value, aroma and taste due to controlled drying with no temperature fluctuations.
Higher Income: Higher market value for dried products; better bargaining power and prevention of distress selling by farmers.
Enabling entrepreneurship and empowering livelihood of farmers.
Reduced carbon footprint: Grid independent DRE appliance.

According to the Driven to Waste report, which was published by WWF-UK and the British retailer Tesco, 1.2 billion tonnes, or 15.3%, of the food produced globally is lost during harvest or slaughter processes.

Off-Grid Cold Storage Solutions

One of the main causes is the lack of cooling at the farms, because of poor or non-existing electrical power grids. Because the European Union voted in favour of the Farm to Fork strategy there is a need to tackle this. When we also take “Fit for 55 in 2030 package” into account we need sustainable cold rooms at farms across the world. This way we ensure we have fresh produced delivered throughout the global cold chain as it is cooled from the harvest up to your doorstep. PCMs are crucial in this process and it starts with an off grid cold room at farms across the world.

Pluss Advanced Technologies works together with multiple companies and NGO’s to facilitate the use of these off-grid cold rooms in remote areas, such as the Indian Himalayas, Senegal Kenya and Angola.

Pluss provides a small and sustainable 5MT capacity solar cold-room to maintain chilled or frozen temperature independent of grid connectivity or electrical batteries. Integration with phase change material technology ensures a 24/7 operation cycle such that the cold generated during six hours of sunshine is sufficiently stored in thermal batteries to maintain temperature over next 18 hours.