GAPS IN THE COLD CHAIN IN THE CARIBBEAN

Majeed Mohammed and Lisa Kitinoja

Postharvest Education Foundation

COLD CHAIN GAPS

• Supermarkets

• Marine shipments

• Air shipments

• Hotel industry

• CARICOM Inter Island Trade

• Reducing cold chain gaps

• PEF goals and objectives

• Conclusions

To protect the product from direct sun light.

Quick transport to the packaging.

Minimize delays before pre-cooling.

Uniform product’s cooling.

Store the product at optimum temperature

conditions .

Practice first in first out rotation.

Ship to market as soon as possible.

Use refrigerated loading area.

Cool truck before loading.

Load pallets towards the center of the truck.

Avoid delays during transport.

Monitor product temperature during transport.

Cold chain gaps in supermarkets

Consequences of cold chain gaps in supermarkets

Table 5. Cause of postharvest losses (%) in tomato (Calypso cv.) during wet season in

supermarket handling system

----------------------------------------------------------------- Handling system Physiological Physical Pathological

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Field operations 3.8 6.6 3.2

Packinghouse opers. 1.9 6.9 1.7

Warehouse opers. 2.9 6.1 2.0

Supermarket opers. 2.9 7.6 2.9

Consumer opers. 6.1 8.3 7.8

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SEA SHIPMENT : GAPS IN COLD CHAIN

• 25 – 30% POSTHARVEST LOSSES IN PLANTAIN

• CARGO: 40 FEET REEFER CONTAINER WITH PLANTAINS FROM DOMINICA

• DESTINATION: UNITED KINGDOM

CAUSES OF POSTHARVEST LOSSES:

a. T-FLOOR BLOCKED WITH SOIL AND REMAINS OF PREVIOUS CARGO, IRISH POTATOES

b. DRAIN PLUGS LEFT IN PLACE CAUSING WATER FROM PRODUCE TRANPIRATION TO BUILD UP ON FLOOR CARTON DAMPING

c. AIR VENTS SET TO 50% AND NOT RECOMMENDED 25%

d. VARIATIONS IN CARTON DESIGNS – SOME POORLY VENTILATED

e. OMISSION OF SLIP SHEET CAUSED SHORT CIRCUITED AIR

QUANTITY OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TRANSPORTED IN INTER-ISLAND TRADE

SUPPLIERS/COUNTRY

QUANTITY TRANSPORTED WEEKLY (TONS)

DESTINATION

PRODUCE TYPES

ST. VINCENT 375-425 TRINIDAD AND BARBADOS TROPICAL FRUITS AND ROOT CROPS

GRENADA 200-250 TRINIDAD TROPICAL FRUITS AND ROOT CROPS

DOMINICA 250-300 TRINIDAD, GUADELOUPE, ST. MAATEN

TROPICAL FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND ROOT CROPS

ST. LUCIA 40-50 BARBADOS TROPICAL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Table 1. Postharvest losses of banana fruits in St.

Vincent and St. Lucia.

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Island Severe Field Ship-ripe Heat injury Total

bruising(%) scars(%) (%) (%) losses(%)

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St. Vincent 6.9 7.0 3.5 13.0 30.4

St. Lucia 8.2 10.7 5.1 16.0 40.0

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AIR SHIPMENT : COLD CHAIN GAPS

POSTHARVEST LOSSES: a. HOT PEPPER 40 – 50%

b. PUMPKIN 100%

DESTINATION: TORONTO, CANADA

CAUSES OF POSTHARVEST LOSSES:

a. TRANSPORTED IN NON-REFRIGERATED TRUCKS TO AIRPORT IN TIGHTLY PACKED DARK COLOURED TARPAULIN

b. DAMP CARDBOARD PACKAGES

c. NO PRE-COOLING PRIOR TO LOADING LD3 CONTAINER

d. POOR STACKING STRENGTH AND HANDLING OF PACKAGES AT PORT

e. PUMPKINS PACKED IN POORLY VENTILATED BAGS

Table 2. Postharvest losses(%) of hot peppers destined for

ethnic markets to Toronto, Canada from Trinidad.

------------------------------------------------------------------Exporters Dry season Wet season

Handling system Yellow cv. Red cv. Yellow cv. Red cv.

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Procurement 2.3 2.6 6.8 4.9

Transportation 5.3 5.1 8.2 10.6

Sorting/Grading 7.7 13.6 11.9 11.1

Storage 8.0 15.0 13.0 10.3

Packaging 8.6 12.7 12.5 16.0

Total Losses 31.9 39.0 52.4 52.9

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Table 3. Temperature (C) and relative humidity (%) profiles of hot peppers at

different points in the airport cargo handling area.

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Time lapse Transfer point Day time Night time

(hr.) Temp. R.H. Temp. R.H.

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0.0 fruit arrival 31.0 60-70 28.5 60-70

1.5 quarantine 33.5 60-70 27.2 60-70

2.5 inspection/ 34.8 60-75 26.5 60-70

unloading

4.5 loading of LD3 35.2 50-65 24.3 60-70

5.5 LD3 on trailer 37.1 50-70 23.3 60-65

6.5 LD3 in aircraft 39.0 50-70 23.0 50-70

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Cold chain gaps in hotel industry

INTER ISLAND TRADE POSTHARVEST LOSSES: 20 – 40%

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH LOSSES

DUE TO TRANSPORTATION:

1. CONTAINERS –

a. NO VENTILATION HOLES

b. VARIATION IN SIZES AND SHAPES

c. POOR STACKING STRENGTH

2. INADEQUATE INSULATION BETWEEN

CARGO AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT

3. SHIPPED IN UNVENTILATED AND

NON-REFRIGERATED SPACE

4. ROUGH HANDLING

Reducing losses by minimizing cold chain gaps