Page 81 - FoodFocusThailand No.172 July 2020

STORAGE, HANDLING & LOGISTICSANDLING & LOGISTICS
STORAGE, H

Cold chain logistics has gained significant attention among
all stakeholders in the food and pharmaceutical delivery
industries due to the stricter food safety enforcement and
tighter quality assurance [1-3]. Most cold chain logistics
providers seek to determine the right packaging that ensures
temperature control delivery in order to gain and/or retain
their competitive advantage in the market place.

The Use of Physical Simulation to Evaluate

Thermal Properties of Food Containers

in Cold Chain Logistics

Nowadays, materials such as Polystyrene Foam (PS), need to understand which box/material should fit their delivery conditions.
Polyethylene-Nylon (PE-Nylon), and Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIP) Therefore, research in this area is urgently needed to support the fast-
are widely used in the construction of delivery boxes. The objective growing numbers of new business operations that will critically impact
of this study is to use a physical simulation approach to determine such a large number of stakeholders worldwide. For the delivery
which materials are most suitable for delivery boxes. First, three providers, the box selection process involves several factors such as
delivery boxes with different materials (PS, PE-Nylon and VIP) were cost, dimension, strength, design, and insulation properties. There are
used as test subjects in this study. Second, the cold chain delivery many materials used as insulation for food delivery such as Expanded
process was simulated for each box and the temperature at each Polystyrene Foam (EPS) . Non-woven feather fibre packaging liners
[5]
critical point had been measured throughout the delivery process. from the poultry industry is a sustainable material with a comparable
Third, data analysis was performed by comparing the temperature thermal conductivity as the EPS . The insulation property is traditionally
[6]
pattern among all three subjects. The thermal conductivity data for determined by the thermal conductivity resistance factor (R) or thermal
each box was calculated by mathematic equations to help interpret conductivity constant (k) by practitioners. This research proposes a more
the results. The result showed that the box made from VIP material holistic approach by conducting a physical delivery simulation along with
showed the best thermal resistance. The application of this thermal the use of traditional R and k for thermal properties. This particular
conductivity estimation procedure might help guide food delivery research aims to answer, “Which material (VIP, PE-Nylon, and PS) best
related practitioners to determine the best materials for their delivery insulates chilled food?” according to the results of a physical delivery
box equipment and the findings might help effectively and efficiently simulation approach.
improve their delivery services.
Methodology The three different commonly used delivery boxes
Introduction The current global trend of urbanization 2made of VIP, PE-Nylon, and PS materials were selected as the
1 accelerates the growth of last-mile food delivery in many large subjects of study to replicate industry usage. Based on focus group
cities . With the exponential growth in temperature-controlled food interviews, the sizes of three boxes are comparable and fall into the
[1]
delivery, the proper delivery box plays a critical role to help ensure same small category delivery box. For each box, weight, dimension,
food safety and minimize food loss [2,3] . Any temperature control issue thickness, and volume were carefully measured and recorded in
in cold chain logistics will increase food loss in the food industry sector Table 1. Then, the thermal conductivity experiment was conducted using
[3]
and elevate the food safety risk in the consumer sector . The delivery the following approaches.
box is considered the primary protection of food safety. Practitioners
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