Cold store temperature monitoring – how to meet sanitary standards in fish processing?

Why is a stable temperature important when storing and defrosting fish?

The freshness of fish depends on one key thing - the temperature. If it is too high, the meat starts to spoil, bacteria develop and the product loses quality. If it is too low, the thawing process becomes uneven, affecting the structure and taste of the fish. In the fish processing industry, even small fluctuations in temperature can mean huge losses.

Producers must adhere to strict food safety standards such as HACCP or IFS, which require strict temperature control at every stage from chilling to thawing. This means continuous monitoring of storage conditions, precise recording of data and an immediate reaction if the limit values are exceeded.

Failure to maintain a stable temperature means not only the risk of fines and financial losses, but also more waste. Spoiled fish is not marketable, leading to wasted raw material and increased production costs. This is why it is so important to implement a system that provides full control over the temperature and avoids problems associated with temperature fluctuations.

How to precisely control the temperature in cold rooms and in the fish defrosting process? The customer challenge

A fish processing company needs to constantly control the conditions under which its products are stored. The fish first goes into refrigerated chambers, where the temperature is kept low to preserve its freshness. Then, at a certain point in production, they are defrosted under controlled conditions - a process that must take place uniformly so as not to adversely affect the structure and quality of the meat.

Until now, the biggest problem has been the lack of full control over the temperature in real time. Temperature fluctuations could lead to loss of product quality and, in extreme cases, failure to meet food safety standards. The client needed a precise temperature measurement system that would provide continuous monitoring of the cold stores and defrost chambers.

An additional challenge was the harsh environmental conditions - high humidity, low temperatures and intensive use of the equipment. The temperature sensors had to be able to withstand these factors in order to function reliably over a long period of time.

The company also had to align its processes with industry requirements such as HACCP and IFS. Automatic reporting and data archiving was key, so that compliance could be proven at any time. Without this, any sanitary inspection risked formal problems.

How to automate temperature monitoring in cold stores and defrosting processes? Our solution

To ensure full control over the temperature in the cold stores and thawing chambers, a wireless measuring system was implemented to continuously monitor conditions in real time. A key element of the solution is the JUMO wTRANS temperature sensors, which perform well even in harsh conditions - high humidity, low temperatures and intensively used production spaces. Thanks to wireless technology, they eliminate the need to run cables, making them easy to install and operate.

The data collected is fed into the JUMO variTRON 500 touch PLC, which continuously analyses the readings and enables immediate reaction in the event of deviations from the set values. The touchscreen facilitates measurement data reading and operation, and users can easily configure notifications, email and SMS alerts on smartphones and system settings.

The whole system is integrated with the JUMO smartWARE Evaluation software, which allows the viewing and full visualisation of temperature value trends, the archiving of measurements and the automatic generation of reports in accordance with HACCP and IFS standards. This gives the company quick access to recorded data, enables it to analyse temperature changes over a longer period of time and meet food safety requirements.

The result? Precise measurements of the temperature parameter, instant access to data and full compliance with industry standards - all in a system that can be easily scaled and expanded with additional sensors and functions.

How does optimising the cooling and defrosting process with a temperature control system reduce energy consumption? Customer benefits

An automatic temperature monitoring system not only means more precise measurements, but also real savings and better process organisation. Optimisation of cooling and defrosting reduces energy consumption, resulting in lower operating costs and more sustainable production.

Thanks to stable temperature control, raw material losses are minimised - fish are not exposed to sudden temperature spikes that could affect their quality. Less waste means greater efficiency and better production profitability.

The system is scalable, meaning that it can be used for temperature recording not only in fish processing, but also in other sectors of the food industry. The ability to expand with additional sensors and functions makes it easy to adapt to the changing needs of the plant.

Furthermore, automatic reporting facilitates audits and compliance with quality standards such as HACCP or IFS. Data is archived and available at any time, allowing quick verification of compliance and increasing transparency throughout the process.

Do you have a similar application? Contact us and find out more about our range of temperature sensors, temperature loggers, PLCs and SCADA or JUMO Cloud data visualisation, among others!