CAS DataLoggers, Chesterfield, Ohio, provided a temperature data logging solution for a whole frozen turkey processor. Once frozen, the meat needed to be maintained at or below 0°F to avoid rapid spoiling and attendant health risks. Often, temperature levels will vary across product in separate trucks and even within the same trailer during frozen food transport.

The turkey processor used to rely on manual temperature measurements upon delivery, but with regulations increasing along with receivers’ demands for documentation, management had a need for a reliable temperature monitoring and alarming solution. The device would also need to feature online reporting capabilities to provide a quick way to generate detailed reports for receivers.

Installation

CAS DataLoggers provided a standalone solution called 50 I-Plug IPST8 USB Temperature Data Loggers. Drivers placed the devices directly onto the product pallets, two per shipment. Each data logger uses an internal sensor to monitor temperature within a range of -22°F to 150°F at a high 0.3°C accuracy.

Each data logger’s quick push-button start makes operation easy, and their smart LEDs show temperature status at a glance. The temperature recorders have a sensor response time of 90 seconds, what is said to be faster than many comparable products. Unlike other single-use dataloggers, the I-Plugs are also equipped with a smart STOP button that sets the loggers to bookmark readings, but keeps them recording until stopped or until reaching the end of their memory. This makes the loggers useful right up until the last mile.

Usage

The temperature logger’s 8,000 sample memory and 1-year battery life enable extended trips or multiple shorter hauls, and sampling rate is user-selectable from 1-27 minutes depending on the number of days. For most of the customer’s shipments, they’re set to take a reading every 10 minutes.

Their compact 2.8x1.3x0.6-inch size and 30-gram weight makes them easy to place and transport.

The data loggers only go into alarm status when the user-set temperatures exceed over a certain period of time. Alarm lights clearly show whenever product temperatures are OK, Over or Under, so during stops, it’s easy for drivers to do a quick temperature check. The built-in USB interface simplifies downloading data to a PC, so users don’t need a USB driver to use the loggers. The data loggers are recyclable, and offer an optional Calibration Certificate online specifically for the food industry.

Software

The SwiTrace I-Plug Plus data loggers run on free software downloadable online from the manufacturer. When the loggers are finished recording, users just plug them into a PC and use the software to download the data, read it and send it online in a database where it’s available for viewing in graph form by receivers. There’s no registration required or software drivers to install, and the process takes about 5 seconds. This innovative feature saves receivers the trouble of sending the data by email. Upon arrival, users can adjust the time zone, so they don’t have to spend time recalculating to their local time. The data can also be read and sent to the web using an Android tablet with a free app.

Benefits

The I-Plugs were an effective solution for the processor’s in-transit monitoring—now drivers keep tabs on the product on the road and give proof of their product’s quality to receivers. This electronically documented proof of quality leads to less shipments being rejected.

Using the included software, users print out reports showing all the relevant data. Additionally, the direct-to-web data transmission and traceability portal are convenient for tracking and tracing settings, graphs and readings online.