Ventilation lowers temperature of soft cheese pallets in export cold chain
Experimental Investigation of Heat-generating Cheese Pallets During an International Export Cold Chain
Computational Engineering, Finance, and Science
Summary
Soft cheeses inside pallets can generate heat during shipping, causing their temperature to rise. This study by the authors found that pallets kept in well-ventilated areas stayed about 3°C cooler on a long international trip than those in poorly ventilated spots. They also learned that good ventilation before loading can help keep the cheeses cooler. However, they couldn’t clearly tell if the wrapping film affected the temperature. These findings help improve how soft cheeses are stored during cold shipping.
What this means in practice
- •For cold chain logistics managers: Optimize warehouse and truck loading to maximize pallet ventilation and maintain product temperatures during long-distance refrigerated transport.
- •For dairy product packagers: Design packing and palletizing processes that maintain airflow around heat-generating cheeses to reduce temperature rise before shipment.
Authors
Dihia Aguenihanai, Jean Moureh, Yasmine Salehy, Yvanne Paviet-Salomon, Evelyne Derens-Bertheau
Abstract
This study presents an industrial experiment conducted with a dairy partner to investigate the temperature evolution of heat-generating soft cheeses within pallets during export cold chain. In the production factory, four homogeneous pallets of soft cheese were instrumented with temperature probes placed at three levels (bottom, medium, and top). Temperature was monitored over a 13 days export cold chain from France to Northern Europe. The objective was to evaluate the influence of air ventilation and pallet wrapping film on product temperature. The results clearly highlight the effect of ventilation: pallets placed in a well-ventilated area showed temperatures approximately 3{\textdegree}C lower than those in less ventilated zones. The study also underlines the importance of maintaining good ventilation of pallets before loading them into refrigerated transport vehicles. However, the effect of wrapping film remains unclear and does not allow definitive conclusions. This field study provides practical recommendations for better conditioning of heat-generating products in the cold chain.