Now in its second year, the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), Alexandria, Va., and United Fresh Produce Association, Washington, D.C., presented Global Cold Chain Expo 2017, which took place June 13-15 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

Global Cold Chain Expo 2017 was co-located with the International Floriculture Expo, United FreshMKT and United FreshTEC shows, and shined a spotlight on the cold chain industry and its role as a critical component in connecting farmers and producers to consumers, all while maintaining food safety and quality.

Here is a rundown of some of the latest innovations in equipment, supplies and services introduced and showcased at GCCE 2017.

INSULATED DOOR REDESIGNED WITH ENERGY SAVING FEATURES

Rytec Corp., Jackson, Wis., redesigned its Turbo-Seal insulated door, which was first introduced in 2010, to stop more cold energy loss at the doorway through enhanced features. The door’s average speed of 101 inches per second means material handling systems can work harder while the cold storage room’s chiller system can work less, thus saving more energy.

The Turbo-Seal insulated’s thermal breaks are built into the header, side columns and bottom bar to block energy loss along its full perimeter to significantly minimize thermal heat transfer. This doorway barrier is possible with the addition of Quad Seals in the side columns and brush seals at the top of the door. A flexible, fully sealed low-temperature bottom edge seal makes tight contact with the contours of the floor. Added to the door’s Rilon thermal panel is a non-porous, moisture-proof vapor barrier that provides uniform performance. 

The Turbo-Seal insulated door also features new fiberglass side column sections and clear side column covers for easy access, inspection and maintenance. In addition, safety features entail a responsive reversing edge, thru-beam photo eyes and the Pathwatch Safety Light System to ensure safe operation within fast-moving cold storage environments.

Rytec Corp.
888-467-9832
www.rytecdoors.com

COOLING UNIT FOR WALK-IN COOLERS, FREEZERS

Century Refrigeration, Pryor, Okla., showcased its Epic Unit Cooler, ideal for use in medium to large walk-in coolers and freezers, distribution facilities and storage facilities.

CLICK HERE to learn more.

Century Refrigeration, division of RAE Corp.
918-825-7222
www.century-refrigeration.com

FOAM CLEANER REMOVES OXALATE FILMS

Madison Chemical, Madison, Ind., introduced FOAM CLEAN 317-SP for the removal of oxalate films caused by the washing and preparation of spinach and kale. 

This alkaline, 1-step foaming product reaches any area. Its thick foam clings to surfaces providing sufficient dwell time, while the low surface tension and proprietary blend penetrate and remove the film without the need for acid.   

This unique product is safe for employees, easy to use and is ideal for all equipment used for handling spinach and kale, as well as, other materials where residual oxalate films remain after handling, including conveyors, washers, dryers, sorters and more. 

Madison Chemical Co., Inc.
812-273-6000
www.madchem.com

REAL-TIME TEMPERATURE TRACKING SOLUTION FOR SHIPPERS

FourKites, Chicago, launched what is said to be the industry’s first real-time temperature and location tracking solution for shippers, designed to monitor shipment temperatures and ensure compliance across supply chains.

This real-time temperature tracking makes it easier for enterprise shippers to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), as shippers can reduce spoilage, reduce operational costs and one-time spot buys and identify potentially non-compliant loads earlier in the shipping process before those loads make it all the way to their destinations or have to be diverted to quality centers.

Customizable notifications alert users as soon as temperatures fall outside a specified range. Visualization and analysis tools enable shippers to review individual and aggregated load temperatures over time to spot trends and compare against industry benchmarks.

FourKites
888-466-6958
www.fourkites.com

REAL-TIME, IN-TRANSIT MONITORING SOLUTION

DeltaTrak, Pleasanton, Calif., released the new FlashLink real-time monitoring solution, which combines the FlashLink Real-Time In-Transit Logger with a 24/7 cloud service. The logger records temperature, humidity, shock, light and location, and sends data via GSM cellular network to a web account. Reliable up-to-the-minute information is accessed with a standard web browser using a PC or any internet-ready device.

The solution comes in two logger configurations—a domestic model with a 25-day logging duration and data uploaded every 15 minutes, and an export model with a 100-day logging duration and data uploaded every hour. Shippers can customize high/low alarm settings, and alerts are automatically sent when out-of-range conditions occur. The logger also measures shock, which indicates rough handling of a load, and a light sensor indicates door openings, which means a shipment arrived and is being received or reveals security issues while the shipment is still in transit.

DeltaTrak
800-962-6776
www.deltatrak.com

LED HORTICULTURAL LIGHTING

LumiGrow Inc., Emeryville, Calif., premiered its LED lighting and software suite for the horticultural industry.

LumiGrow Inc.
800-514-0487
www.lumigrow.com