Testo warns of winter fresh food temperature risks

Testo has warned that winter transport conditions can damage temperature-sensitive fresh produce before it reaches a food processing plant or distribution facility, with single temperature readings at delivery providing an incomplete account of the conditions experienced during the journey.

The measurement technology specialist is encouraging closer attention to loading-dock delays, prolonged vehicle door openings and exposure to cold airflow as increased Christmas demand places additional pressure on fresh food distribution.

Its guidance focuses on the combination of continuous temperature recording and structured inspections when goods are received. These procedures can help establish whether a consignment has experienced an extended temperature deviation, even where its condition appears satisfactory when the delivery is inspected.

Jens Kopper, subject matter expert for retail at Testo Saveris GmbH, identified loading and unloading as critical points during winter distribution. He cautioned that long waiting periods and storing goods in direct cold airflow can be particularly difficult for sensitive products.

Road disruption can make those conditions harder to manage. Delayed vehicles may arrive together, increasing congestion at receiving bays, while goods left waiting outside suitable storage conditions can experience additional temperature changes before they are checked and put away.

Different fresh produce categories respond to temperature in different ways. Some vegetables require low storage temperatures to slow deterioration, while certain tropical and subtropical fruits are vulnerable to chilling injury when exposed to temperatures below their suitable range.

Bananas and tomatoes are among the examples identified by Testo. A product may be exposed to excessively low temperatures during part of a journey and subsequently return to a more appropriate temperature, leaving no clear indication of the earlier exposure in a reading taken at the delivery point.

Chilling injury can also become apparent after the product has left the cold environment. Depending on the commodity and its condition, visible deterioration may develop later, complicating decisions made solely through inspection immediately after unloading.

The relationship between exposure time and temperature is central to assessing such events. A brief excursion outside the intended range does not necessarily have the same effect as sustained exposure, while the temperature reached and the product’s condition influence the extent of any damage.

Testo recommends recording temperatures throughout transport so that operators can examine the pattern of conditions experienced by a consignment. Data loggers collect measurements at defined intervals, making it possible to identify when recorded temperatures changed and how long the deviation lasted.

These records can provide a stronger basis for investigating a delivery than a single arrival measurement. They may reveal a prolonged period of excessive cooling or warming that is no longer apparent when the goods reach their destination.

The location of the sensor remains important. A logger positioned close to a vehicle door may register changes associated with loading more rapidly than one located in the centre of the cargo. The measurements therefore need to be interpreted according to where they were collected and what conditions they represent.

Air temperature and product temperature can also respond differently. The core of a packed item may change temperature more slowly than the surrounding air, depending on the size of the product, the packaging and the conditions encountered during handling.

Continuous air-temperature records are therefore evidence of the environment around the product, rather than direct measurements of the temperature within every item in the load. Their interpretation may need to be supported by product checks and information about the consignment’s handling history.

Incoming-goods inspections provide that second level of measurement. Testo’s existing 104-IR BT thermometer combines an infrared sensor for non-contact surface measurements with a fold-out penetration probe for measuring temperature within suitable products.

The two methods answer different questions. Infrared measurement assesses the surface being viewed, which may be the product itself or its packaging. A penetration probe measures temperature at the point where it is inserted, subject to the instrument’s operating requirements and the inspection procedure used.

Surface readings can be useful for quickly identifying unusual conditions, but they do not automatically establish a product’s core temperature. The characteristics of a packaging surface and the instrument’s measurement geometry may also influence an infrared result.

When a reading is unexpected, a more detailed inspection may be needed. The appropriate follow-up depends on the commodity, whether invasive measurement is permitted and the requirements established for accepting or rejecting incoming material.

The 104-IR BT supports Bluetooth communication with the testo Smart App, allowing measurement results to be transferred into digital records. The device is an established measurement product rather than equipment newly introduced for winter 2026.

Testo’s Saveris Food system extends digital quality management across receiving, storage and other food handling activities. Its product range combines monitoring sensors, handheld instruments and software intended to collect records and make information available through a central platform.

Where continuous logging is configured, temperature histories can be reviewed alongside spot checks performed by receiving staff. Keeping both types of measurement available allows a business to investigate differences between current product condition and the environmental conditions recorded earlier.

Such records are particularly useful when several organisations handle the same consignment. Responsibility may pass between a packing operation, transport provider, distribution centre and food manufacturer, with changes in handling and storage conditions occurring at each transfer point.

Documented measurements can help establish when a deviation occurred, although they do not automatically identify its cause or demonstrate whether the food remains suitable for use. That decision depends on product specifications, the available evidence and any necessary quality or safety assessment.

Fresh produce processors receiving fruit and vegetables for washing, cutting or packing face an additional manufacturing consideration. Raw material condition influences the quantity and quality of finished product that can be obtained, particularly where trimming and rejection increase as produce deteriorates.

Temperature-related damage may therefore affect production yield as well as appearance and shelf life. A consignment accepted on the basis of one satisfactory arrival reading could still require further inspection if its recorded transport history shows extended exposure outside the required range.

Quality teams also need procedures for responding to those records. A deviation alert is useful only when the receiving process defines who reviews it, what further checks are required and how the decision is documented before the material enters production.

Winter congestion places pressure on these procedures because staff may be required to process several delayed deliveries within a shorter period. Clear acceptance criteria and efficient movement into suitable storage can reduce the time goods spend exposed to unsuitable conditions while maintaining the necessary inspections.

Testo has not published new trial data quantifying the reduction in spoilage or waste achieved through the guidance. The technical advantage of temperature histories is the additional evidence they provide about earlier conditions, which cannot be reconstructed reliably from an isolated reading taken at delivery.

The company’s advice is to assess temperature trends and the duration of deviations alongside the product’s current condition. That combination gives fresh food businesses a more complete basis for decisions when winter weather disrupts transport and goods reception.