Food transport is a complex process that requires appropriate logistics and cooperation between sectors - from the producer, through the wholesaler to the retail distributor. Carriers dealing with the transport of food must meet quite rigorous standards. The situation is not facilitated by the huge variety of products and the increased level of risk: an error in transport may result not only in the loss of the product itself, but also affect the health or life of consumers.

What methods do trustworthy food carriers use?

Road transport still dominates

Transporting food, especially in bulk, is somewhat like a race against time. Products should be delivered efficiently enough, ensuring appropriate conditions, so that they do not lose their properties before they reach the final buyer. The matter is not facilitated by the variety of food products on the market - and each of them may have different requirements for proper transport. It is important not only what and in what conditions food products are transported, but also what packaging is used during transport. So far, the dominant seems to be plastic (including plastic), which ensures lightness, flexibility, shows high resistance to mechanical damage, and protects transported food products against the negative effects of temperature or pollution, and thus - the loss of nutritional value.

The type of transport itself is also important. As time plays the most important role, the means of transporting food in bulk should be quickly available, easy to load and have the ability to move efficiently. And that is why road transport still dominates in this category [2]. Other modes of transport (i.e. sea and air) are used only when transporting goods over longer distances or when delivering food with a longer shelf life (e.g. cereals are a good example).

ATP Agreement

One of the first documents concerning the standard of food transport is the ATP agreement, drawn up in Geneva on September 1, 1970. It indicates the standards for the transport of perishable foodstuffs (especially the temperature at which food should be transported), specifies the special means of transport used to transport of these products, and also describes the methods of testing and labeling of food transport vehicles.

What are the temperature and specific food requirements in the ATP Agreement? Here are some examples:

Frozen and quick-frozen food:

  • Frozen cream, ice cream: - 20 degrees Celsius;
  • Frozen and deep-frozen fish: - 18 degrees Celsius;
  • Other frozen foods: - 18 degrees Celsius.

Chilled food:

  • Fish: + 2 degrees Celsius,
  • Offal: + 3 degrees Celsius,
  • Milk in the tanker: + 4 degrees Celsius,
  • Poultry and rabbits: + 4 degrees Celsius,
  • Meat: +7 degrees Celsius.

The ATP Agreement is an international document and has been ratified by the following countries: Poland, USA, Austria, Great Britain, Ireland, Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Greece, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Luxembourg , Kazakhstan, Morocco, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia and Italy.

Food transport vehicles

The ATP Agreement defines two main types of food transport vehicles. The first and most important (and also the most used) are cooling vehicles. We divide them into:

  • Refrigerated vehicles - have insulated walls and roof, and are equipped with a mechanical cooling system (compressor unit), inside it is possible to reduce the temperature to -20 degrees;
  • Cold stores - have insulated walls and roof and are equipped with cooling systems other than a compressor unit (e.g. ice, liquefied gases);
  • Isothermal vehicles - they have insulated walls, but they are not equipped with their own cooling system.

On the other hand, a heated means of transport is an isothermal means of transport, equipped with heating devices that make it possible to increase the temperature in the body and then maintain it at a uniform level for 12 hours without turning on the heating.

The means of transport used for wholesale food transport should be in working order and properly cleaned after each journey. In addition, cold stores must be equipped with a temperature monitoring and recording system to ensure the continuity of the so-called. "cold chain", which is required for food safety.

Other legal bases

In addition to the ATP Agreement, the issues of proper food transport, apart from national regulations, are regulated in the European Union by the following documents: Regulation No. 852/2004 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of Europe on hygiene, foodstuffs and on the principles and requirements of food law. These documents guarantee the unification of the rules and procedures of food law in the Community and indicate the responsibility of the company operating in the food sector.

Responsibility for food transport

Formally, the entity responsible for the proper transport of food, according to the regulations, is the carrier. However, there is no denying that the proper and timely delivery of food products to the consumer is also in the interest of the producer: the fresher the product, the higher the quality it represents, and this can contribute to the success of a given brand. The quality of the delivered products is also equally important for the retail distributor, who wants to attract as many customers as possible with his offer. The entire food supply chain is based on the win-win principle. Therefore, it can be said that the choice of the right and responsible carrier can affect the success of both the manufacturer and the retail distributor.

So how to choose the right food transport company? It is definitely worth checking not only the recommendations of a given company, but also their certificates issued by local authorities. If you work with a reputable food wholesaler, ask the distributor about the transport of purchased goods - often wholesalers provide transport services themselves or closely cooperate with a specific carrier. This solution not only allows you to find a trustworthy company more easily, but also gives you a chance to reduce transport costs through negotiations and constant cooperation.

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