The cold chain

The term cold chain refers to all processes (transport, handling, storage) related to keeping food products at a given temperature in order to maintain their taste and keeping them safe for consumption.

In the food industry, maintaining the cold chain throughout the life cycle of food products is essential. Flexible PVC plays an important role.

  Manufacturing
Freezing and deep freezing processes are food preservation processes based on the cooling of food either in a slow mode (freezing) down to -10°F, or in a fast mode (deep freezing) down to -49°F in order to get 0°F at heart.
 
Extruflex has developed for these environments a Super Polar PVC, which remains flexible at temperatures as low as -76°F.

Storage
The storage temperature of products varies depending on the types of foods. For foods containing fat such as meats or ice creams, storage temperature needs to go down to -22°F. For other foods, storage temperature is around -13°F. Deep frozen food shall be stored at 0°F al the way to the consumer. 

Logistics
Transport in the cold chain is also highly regulated; according to the classes of goods transported, the temperature must be maintained between -4°F and +45°F.

For these two stages of the cold chain, Extruflex has developed a Low Temp PVC which remains flexible between +59°F down to -13°F, also available with in reinforced & ribbed versions.
 
 

Distribution and preparation
It is often the last step of the cold chain before the consumer. At this level, one work in cold environment called positive cold, that is to say between 32°F (for fish) and +46°F (for milk).
 

Extruflex offers besides the standard transparent PVC, an anti-insect PVC to keep insects away from food related operations, especially in hot and humid areas,  and a white opaque PVC for businesses like butcher shops and delicatessens.
 
 
 

Extruflex works constantly to improve its range in order to offer cold chain and food industrials the most economic and performing solutions tailored to their needs.

Extruflex is a member of the following organisations: