SuperCool Group has introduced SuperSense Smart Solutions, a range of products designed to improve standards and practices for the transport and storage of refrigerated food and pharmaceuticals.
SuperSense has been developed by a dedicated team at SuperCool Group headquarters in Australia to provide time-saving and uncomplicated compliant processes for measuring the core and surface temperatures of any predetermined product in the cold chain and cold storage industries.
Ideas behind the SuperSense Smart Solutions range came from SuperCool Group managing director Mark Mitchell and general manager Jon Mitchell, who from their exposure to and experience in the challenges that face the growing global cold chain, developed a desire for better ways of monitoring and recording food product temperatures.
The experience gained from their longstanding relationship with Ron Quaedvlieg, co-founder and former CEO of groundbreaking temperature monitoring solutions company Euroscan, also underpinned the product development of this new technology.
A joint research and development project was struck between SuperCool Group and Griffith University, led by Dr Hanan Hamid, who developed the first prototypes of what is now known as the SuperSense SMARTprobe along with SuperSense SMARTware that are both designed to yield accurate results for food products across a wide temperature range.
SuperSense Smart Solutions comprises SMARTprobe hardware and SMARTware software:
SuperSense SMARTprobe is a product temperature monitoring device that can be wall-mounted or inserted into the load and has a unique breakaway plug and connection system.
This eliminates the need to insert sensors and thermometers into chilled or frozen goods for the purpose of measuring core temperature information. Inaccuracies caused by misalignment and vibration during transport become a thing of the past.
Requiring no battery, no Wi-Fi and no Bluetooth, SuperSense SMARTprobe is a quick plug-in hardware device suitable for connection to most leading temperature monitoring systems without the need for additional software, and can be calibrated to suit a wide range of food products.
It is a time-saving solution for transport managers, loading dock personnel and drivers that closes cold chain links across loading docks.
SuperSense SMARTware is an essential software tool for auditors, food designers and food packagers that enables them to plan and predict the impact of temperature fluctuations and abuse on products in the cold chain.
As a result, SMARTware users working intransport logistics, quality control and HACCP compliance are better equipped to devise compliant processes while minimising the potential for failure. The job of auditing is more efficient and without unnecessary confrontation in situations where temperature rules may be flouted.
With no hardware required, SMARTware calculates the temperature of food products in various environmental and refrigerated conditions based information from the ingredients shown on the manufacturers' data sheets or the food product packaging.
To achieve compliance with HACCP principles in quality management systems for cold chain food transport and storage, Mitchell said it is essential to harness temperature data and information to reflect and manage critical points in the cold chain process.
With more food stored under refrigeration every year, and food being transported over longer distances, the modern cold chain has expanded extensively in recent years.
“It is only by knowing the actual core temperature of the food product that a safe quality decision is possible for its delivery as ambient and refrigerated space air temperatures cannot be relied on to reflect accurate food product temperatures at critical points,” Mitchell said.