Core Requirements for Food Transportation: Temperature Control, Packaging, and Timeliness Assurance

Introduction

Food is the paramount necessity of people, and its safety and quality are directly related to consumers’ health and quality of life. In the entire chain from the production end to the consumption end of food, the transportation link plays a crucial role, known as the “lifeline of the food supply chain.” With the rapid development of the food industry, consumers’ requirements for food freshness and safety are constantly increasing, bringing higher challenges to related fields such as cold chain logistics and preservation technology. Food transportation is not a simple spatial transfer but a systematic project involving multiple disciplines and technologies. Among them, precision temperature control, scientific packaging, and reliable timeliness assurance are the three core requirements. Interrelated and indispensable, they collectively form the core guarantee system for food transportation safety and quality. This article will deeply analyze the connotation, technical key points, industry status, and optimization paths of these three core requirements, providing references for the high-quality development of the food transportation industry.

I. Temperature Control: The “Temperature Lifeline” of Food Transportation

Temperature is a key factor affecting changes in food quality, and different types of food have strict requirements for transportation temperature. The core goal of temperature control is to stably maintain the food temperature within an appropriate range throughout the transportation process, inhibit microbial reproduction, slow down the loss of nutrients and deterioration of sensory quality, thereby ensuring food safety and freshness.

(I) Classification and Standards of Food Temperature Control

Based on food characteristics and preservation needs, food temperature control is mainly divided into three categories: cold chain temperature control, room temperature control, and special temperature control.

1. Cold chain temperature control is the most widely used type, applicable to fresh food, dairy products, frozen food, etc. The cold chain temperature for fresh fruits and vegetables is usually controlled at 0-10℃. This temperature range can effectively delay the respiration of fruits and vegetables, reduce water evaporation and decay. For example, delicate fruits and vegetables such as strawberries and lychees may experience a sharp decline in quality if the temperature fluctuation exceeds ±2℃. The cold chain temperature for dairy products is more stringent, generally maintained at 2-6℃ to inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella. Frozen food such as meat and quick-frozen dumplings needs to be transported in a low-temperature environment below -18℃ to ensure that the food cell structure is not damaged and the frozen state is maintained.
2. Room temperature control is applicable to storable food such as biscuits, instant noodles, and canned food. The transportation temperature is usually controlled at 15-30℃, and high temperature and humid environments should be avoided to prevent food deterioration and moisture absorption.
3. Special temperature control is mainly aimed at some special temperature-sensitive foods, such as vaccine-like foods (needing strict control at 2-8℃) and chocolate (15-20℃ to avoid melting and deformation). Such foods have extremely high requirements for temperature control accuracy, and the temperature fluctuation range is usually no more than ±1℃.

Countries around the world have also formulated strict standards for food transportation temperature control. For example, China’s GB/T 24616-2019 “Packaging, Marking, Transportation and Storage of Refrigerated and Frozen Food Logistics” clearly stipulates that the transportation temperature of refrigerated food should be ≥0℃ and ≤10℃, frozen food should be ≤-18℃, and the temperature fluctuation during transportation should meet the requirements of food characteristics. The EU’s cold chain standards require that the temperature deviation of fresh food throughout transportation does not exceed ±3℃, and specify the retention period of temperature control records. The implementation of these standards provides clear basis for food transportation temperature control and promotes the standardized development of the industry.

(II) Application and Development of Temperature Control Technology

1. Traditional Temperature Control Technology

Traditional food transportation temperature control mainly relies on transportation tools such as refrigerated trucks and insulated trucks, and achieves temperature control through on-board refrigeration equipment. Refrigerated trucks adopt mechanical refrigeration. The compressor compresses the refrigerant into high-temperature and high-pressure gas, which is cooled by the condenser into low-temperature and high-pressure liquid, then decompressed by the throttle valve and enters the evaporator to absorb heat in the carriage, thereby achieving cooling. Insulated trucks mainly rely on the thermal insulation performance of insulation materials to reduce heat exchange between the inside and outside of the carriage, applicable to short-distance food transportation with low requirements for temperature accuracy.

The advantages of traditional temperature control technology are mature technology and low cost, suitable for large-scale and regular food transportation. However, it also has obvious limitations, such as low temperature control accuracy, prone to temperature fluctuations, and inability to monitor temperature changes in real time. Once the refrigeration equipment fails, it is difficult to detect and handle in time, which may lead to food deterioration.

2. Intelligent Temperature Control Technology

With the development of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, and artificial intelligence (AI), intelligent temperature control technology has been widely applied in food transportation, effectively solving the pain points of traditional temperature control technology. The intelligent temperature control system is mainly composed of temperature sensors, data transmission modules, monitoring platforms, and refrigeration control modules. Temperature sensors collect real-time temperature data inside the carriage and transmit the data to the cloud monitoring platform through 4G, 5G, or IoT cards. Managers can check temperature changes in real time through computers, mobile phones, and other terminals. Once the temperature exceeds the preset range, the system will automatically send an alarm message and can remotely control the refrigeration equipment to adjust the temperature, achieving precise temperature control.

For example, after adopting an intelligent temperature control system, a cold chain logistics enterprise controlled the transportation temperature fluctuation of fresh fruits and vegetables within ±0.5℃, and the food loss rate dropped from 15% to below 5%. Some enterprises have also introduced AI algorithms to predict temperature change trends in advance by analyzing data such as transportation routes, ambient temperature, and food characteristics, and automatically adjust the operating parameters of refrigeration equipment to further improve temperature control accuracy. In addition, the intelligent temperature control system can automatically record the whole-process temperature data, forming a traceable temperature control file, which provides strong support for food quality and safety traceability.

3. New Temperature Control Technologies

In addition to intelligent temperature control technology, some new temperature control technologies have also emerged in food transportation. Vacuum Insulation Panel (VIP) is a new type of high-efficiency thermal insulation material, whose thermal conductivity is only 1/5-1/10 of that of traditional thermal insulation materials. Refrigerated carriages made of VIP materials have significantly improved thermal insulation performance, which can reduce the energy consumption of refrigeration equipment and extend the thermal insulation time, suitable for long-distance cold chain transportation. Cold storage temperature control technology achieves cooling by absorbing heat through cold storage agents, without relying on electric drive, applicable to scenarios without power supply in remote areas, such as rural food distribution and emergency material transportation. In addition, Phase Change Material (PCM) temperature control technology and dry ice refrigeration technology have also been applied in specific scenarios, providing more choices for food transportation temperature control.

(III) Key Points of Temperature Control Management

1. Pre-cooling Treatment

Pre-cooling food before transportation is an important link to ensure the effect of temperature control. The purpose of pre-cooling is to quickly reduce the food temperature to meet the temperature standard required for transportation and reduce temperature fluctuations during transportation. Different types of food have different pre-cooling methods. For example, fresh fruits and vegetables can adopt cold air pre-cooling, cold water pre-cooling, vacuum pre-cooling, etc.; meat and fish can adopt cold storage pre-cooling, ice bath pre-cooling, etc. Insufficient pre-cooling will cause food to release a lot of heat during transportation, increase the load of refrigeration equipment, and easily lead to excessive temperature, affecting food quality.

2. Loading Specifications

Reasonable loading methods are the key to ensuring uniform temperature control. During loading, food should not be stacked too densely, and sufficient ventilation gaps should be reserved to ensure that cold air can circulate smoothly inside the carriage and prevent local overheating. At the same time, food should be classified and loaded according to its temperature requirements and characteristics. Mixing food with different temperature requirements, such as refrigerated food and frozen food, will cause the refrigerated food to be too cold and the frozen food to be too warm, affecting the quality of both.

3. Whole-Process Monitoring

Food transportation temperature control should achieve “all-round and non-dead-angle” monitoring, not only monitoring the temperature inside the carriage but also the operation status of refrigeration equipment and the ambient temperature of the transportation route. Through real-time monitoring, temperature abnormalities, equipment failures, and other problems can be found in a timely manner, and emergency measures can be taken, such as adjusting the transportation route, repairing refrigeration equipment, and replacing cold storage agents, to ensure that the temperature control meets the standards throughout the process. In addition, temperature control data should be properly preserved for a period not less than the shelf life of the food, so as to trace back in case of food quality problems.

II. Packaging: The “Safety Shield” of Food Transportation

Food transportation packaging is an important barrier to protect food from physical damage, chemical pollution, and microbial invasion during transportation. It also assists in temperature control and facilitates loading, unloading, and handling, playing an irreplaceable role in ensuring food quality and safety. Scientific and reasonable packaging design should meet multiple requirements such as protection, freshness preservation, convenience, and environmental protection, and be personalized according to food characteristics and transportation environment.

(I) Core Functions of Transportation Packaging

1. Protection Function

During transportation, food may be affected by physical effects such as vibration, impact, extrusion, and friction, as well as environmental factors such as humidity, oxygen, and odor. The primary function of packaging is to resist these external influences and protect the integrity and quality of food. For example, fragile food such as eggs and glass-bottled beverages need to use packaging materials with good cushioning performance, such as foam plastic, pearl cotton, and corrugated cartons, to reduce damage caused by vibration and impact. Moisture-sensitive food such as biscuits and milk powder need to use moisture-proof packaging materials, such as aluminum foil bags and composite plastic films, to prevent moisture absorption and deterioration. Odor-sensitive food such as tea and spices need to use packaging with good sealing performance to avoid odor cross-contamination with other foods.

2. Freshness Preservation Function

The freshness preservation function of packaging cooperates closely with temperature control to jointly extend the shelf life of food. For fresh food, the packaging should have a certain degree of air permeability to ensure the oxygen required for food respiration and discharge carbon dioxide, avoiding food decay due to lack of oxygen. For example, the packaging of fresh fruits and vegetables usually uses perforated films and breathable corrugated cartons. For frozen food, the packaging should have good thermal insulation performance to reduce the entry of external heat and assist in maintaining a low-temperature environment. For example, the combination of vacuum packaging, foam boxes, and ice packs can effectively extend the freshness preservation time of frozen food. For cooked food, pastries, and other food, the packaging should adopt aseptic packaging technology, such as sealed packaging after high-temperature sterilization, to prevent microbial contamination and extend the shelf life of food.

3. Auxiliary Temperature Control Function

Packaging can assist in temperature control to a certain extent and improve temperature control efficiency. For example, in cold chain transportation, the use of thermal insulation packaging materials such as foam boxes and insulation bags can reduce temperature fluctuations inside the carriage and lower the energy consumption of refrigeration equipment. For short-distance and room-temperature transportation of fresh food, the use of cold storage packaging (foam boxes + ice packs/dry ice) can maintain a low-temperature environment without refrigerated trucks, expanding the transportation range of fresh food. In addition, the size and shape of the packaging will also affect the temperature control effect. Reasonable packaging size can improve the utilization rate of carriage space, reduce dead corners of cold air circulation, and ensure uniform temperature control.

4. Convenience Function

Packaging should be convenient for loading, unloading, handling, warehousing, stacking, and transportation and distribution. The weight and volume of the packaging should be moderate, facilitating manual or mechanical loading and unloading. The packaging should have good stacking performance, able to withstand a certain stacking pressure, avoiding collapse during warehousing and transportation. The packaging should be marked with food name, specification, weight, temperature requirements, loading and unloading precautions, and other information to facilitate the operation and management of staff.

(II) Common Transportation Packaging Materials and Technologies

1. Traditional Packaging Materials and Technologies

Traditional food transportation packaging materials mainly include corrugated cartons, foam plastic, wooden pallets, gunny bags, woven bags, etc. Corrugated cartons have the advantages of light weight, high strength, low cost, and easy recycling, and are the most widely used packaging materials in food transportation, suitable for the outer packaging of various foods. Foam plastic such as Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam has good cushioning performance and thermal insulation performance, and is often used for the packaging of fresh food and fragile food, such as seafood, fruits, and glass-bottled food. Wooden pallets are mainly used for the containerization of goods, facilitating forklift loading and unloading and improving transportation efficiency.

Traditional packaging technologies such as bundling, winding, and sealing are simple to operate and low in cost, but they also have some shortcomings. For example, corrugated cartons have poor moisture resistance, foam plastic is difficult to degrade and has poor environmental protection, and wooden pallets are prone to bacterial growth and have potential hygiene hazards.

2. New Packaging Materials and Technologies

With the deepening of environmental protection concepts and technological progress, new environmentally friendly and high-performance packaging materials and technologies have emerged one after another, promoting the upgrading and replacement of food transportation packaging.

• Environmentally friendly packaging materials: Such as degradable plastics, paper-based cushioning materials, bamboo fiber packaging materials, etc. Degradable plastics can degrade quickly in the natural environment, reducing white pollution, and are suitable for various food packaging. Paper-based cushioning materials such as honeycomb cardboard and pulp molding have good cushioning performance and environmental protection, and can replace foam plastic for fragile food packaging. Bamboo fiber packaging materials are naturally antibacterial and breathable, suitable for fresh food packaging.
• Functional packaging materials: Such as Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) materials, antibacterial packaging materials, intelligent packaging materials, etc. Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) extends the shelf life of fresh food by adjusting the gas composition inside the packaging, such as reducing oxygen concentration and increasing carbon dioxide concentration, inhibiting microbial reproduction and food respiration, and is widely used in the transportation packaging of meat, fruits and vegetables, cooked food, and other foods. Antibacterial packaging materials inhibit the growth of microorganisms inside the packaging and reduce the risk of food contamination by adding antibacterial agents such as nano-silver and plant extracts to the packaging materials. Intelligent packaging materials such as temperature-indicating packaging and humidity-indicating packaging can display real-time temperature and humidity changes inside the packaging, facilitating staff to judge food quality. For example, temperature-indicating packaging will change color when the temperature exceeds the standard, intuitively reminding consumers and staff.
• Advanced packaging technologies: Such as vacuum packaging technology, aseptic packaging technology, shrink packaging technology, etc. Vacuum packaging technology extracts air from the packaging to put food in a vacuum state, inhibiting microbial reproduction and oxidation reactions, and is suitable for the transportation packaging of meat, fish, nuts, and other foods. Aseptic packaging technology sterilizes food and packaging materials in an aseptic environment and then seals the packaging, which can extend the shelf life of food at room temperature, such as aseptically filled milk and juice. Shrink packaging technology heats the packaging material to shrink and cling to the food surface, forming a tight packaging, which can not only protect food from damage but also improve the sealing and moisture resistance of the packaging, suitable for the collective packaging of bottled food and canned food.

(III) Optimization Principles of Packaging Design

1. Personalized Design

Different types of food have different characteristics, and packaging design should be personalized according to food characteristics. For example, fresh fruits and vegetables should focus on the air permeability and cushioning performance of the packaging, adopting the combination of perforated films and corrugated cartons, and designing appropriate inner packaging according to the shape and size of fruits and vegetables to avoid extrusion damage. Frozen food should focus on the thermal insulation and sealing performance of the packaging, adopting the combination of vacuum packaging, foam boxes, and ice packs to ensure the stability of the low-temperature environment. Liquid food should focus on the leakage-proof performance of the packaging, using glass bottles, plastic bottles, or composite packaging bags with good sealing performance, and equipped with leakage-proof plugs, sealing caps, and other accessories.

2. Balance between Cost and Benefit

Packaging design should reasonably control packaging costs on the premise of ensuring packaging functions, achieving a balance between cost and benefit. Excessive packaging will not only increase transportation costs and environmental burden but also raise product prices, affecting consumers’ purchase intentions. Insufficient packaging cannot effectively protect food, which may lead to an increase in food loss rate and thus increase the total cost. Therefore, in packaging design, factors such as food value, transportation distance, and transportation environment should be comprehensively considered to select the most cost-effective packaging materials and design schemes.

3. Environmental Sustainability

With the improvement of environmental awareness, the environmental friendliness of packaging has attracted more and more attention. Packaging design should follow the principles of “reduction, reuse, and recycling”, reduce the use of packaging materials, prioritize environmentally friendly materials that are degradable and recyclable, and avoid the use of disposable non-degradable materials. For example, adopt foldable corrugated cartons to reduce space occupation during warehousing and transportation; use reusable turnover boxes instead of disposable foam boxes to reduce the generation of packaging waste; promote the recycling of packaging materials and establish a sound packaging recycling system to achieve resource recycling.

III. Timeliness: The “Quality Countdown” of Food Transportation

Food quality will gradually decline over time, especially for food with high timeliness requirements such as fresh food and dairy products. Transportation timeliness directly determines food freshness and safety. The core of timeliness assurance is to deliver food from the production end to the consumption end in the shortest possible time, reduce the residence time of food during transportation, and lower quality loss.

(I) Industry Differences in Timeliness Requirements

Different types of food have significant differences in transportation timeliness requirements, which mainly depend on the shelf life, freshness period, and characteristics of the food.

1. Food with High Timeliness Requirements

Such food has a short shelf life and extremely short freshness period, requiring transportation to be completed in the shortest possible time, usually within 24-48 hours. For example, fresh aquatic products such as lobsters and crabs have a short survival time after leaving the water, generally needing to be delivered within 12-24 hours, otherwise, they will die due to lack of oxygen. Delicate fresh fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, lychees, and bayberries have a freshness period of only 1-3 days, and excessive transportation time will lead to water loss and decay. Dairy products such as fresh milk and yogurt have a short shelf life, generally 7-15 days, requiring rapid transportation to ensure product freshness.

2. Food with Medium Timeliness Requirements

Such food has a moderate shelf life, and the requirements for transportation timeliness are relatively loose, usually allowing delivery within 3-7 days. For example, ordinary fresh fruits and vegetables such as apples, oranges, and Chinese cabbage have a longer freshness period, generally 1-2 weeks, and transportation time controlled within 3-7 days can ensure quality. Cooked food, pastries, and other food have a shelf life of usually 3-15 days, and transportation timeliness should be reasonably arranged according to the shelf life.

3. Food with Low Timeliness Requirements

Such food has a long shelf life and is storable, with low requirements for transportation timeliness, usually allowing delivery within more than 7 days. For example, dry food such as rice, flour, and beans has a shelf life of 6-12 months. Canned food and quick-frozen food have a shelf life of usually 1-2 years, and transportation time has little impact on their quality. Transportation time can be reasonably arranged according to transportation costs and logistics resources.

(II) Key Factors Affecting Transportation Timeliness

1. Transportation Route Planning

Reasonable transportation route planning is the basis for ensuring timeliness. The transportation route should preferably select routes with short distance, good road conditions, and high traffic efficiency, avoiding detours and congested sections. With the development of logistics information technology, intelligent route planning systems have been widely applied. Combining real-time traffic data, weather conditions, transportation tasks, and other information, the system automatically plans the optimal transportation route and dynamically adjusts it according to real-time road conditions, effectively shortening transportation time. For example, after adopting an intelligent route planning system, a logistics enterprise shortened the average transportation route by 10% and reduced the average transportation time by 15%.

2. Selection of Transportation Tools

The speed and reliability of transportation tools directly affect transportation timeliness. For food with high timeliness requirements, transportation tools with fast speed and high stability are usually selected, such as air transportation, high-speed rail transportation, and highway refrigerated truck transportation. Air transportation is the fastest, suitable for long-distance and high-value fresh food, such as imported seafood and high-end fruits. The air transportation time between major domestic cities is usually 2-8 hours. High-speed rail transportation has fast speed and high punctuality rate, suitable for short-to-medium distance fresh food transportation, such as fresh food distribution between urban agglomerations such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, and Pearl River Delta. The transportation time is usually 1-4 hours. Highway refrigerated truck transportation has high flexibility, suitable for short-to-medium distance and regional food transportation. The transportation time varies from several hours to one day depending on the distance. For food with low timeliness requirements, low-cost transportation tools such as ordinary trucks, railway transportation, and waterway transportation can be selected. Although the speed is slow, the transportation cost can be effectively controlled.

3. Loading and Unloading Efficiency

Loading and unloading is an important link in food transportation, and low efficiency will seriously affect transportation timeliness. For example, in the warehousing link, slow loading and unloading speed of food will lead to prolonged stay of goods in the warehouse. In the transportation transfer link, low transfer efficiency will extend the total transportation time. To improve loading and unloading efficiency, enterprises should adopt modern loading and unloading equipment such as forklifts, pallets, and conveyors, reduce manual operations, and improve work efficiency. At the same time, the loading and unloading process should be optimized to achieve “fast loading and unloading” and reduce the waiting time of goods. For example, an automated loading and unloading system adopted by a cold chain logistics park increased the loading and unloading efficiency by 30% and shortened the goods transfer time by 2 hours.

4. Integration of Logistics Resources

The ability to integrate logistics resources directly affects the stability of transportation timeliness. By integrating logistics resources such as warehousing, transportation, and distribution, realizing resource sharing and complementary advantages, the efficiency of logistics operations can be improved and transportation timeliness can be guaranteed. For example, the adoption of a joint distribution model to centrally distribute food from multiple enterprises reduces the empty driving rate of transportation vehicles and improves transportation efficiency. The establishment of regional logistics centers realizes centralized storage, sorting, and distribution of food, shortens the distribution radius, and improves the efficiency of terminal distribution. In addition, establishing close cooperative relationships with upstream and downstream enterprises to achieve information sharing and collaborative operations can also effectively improve transportation timeliness. For example, production enterprises inform logistics enterprises of food information in advance, and logistics enterprises plan transportation schemes in advance to realize “immediate production and immediate transportation”, reducing the stay time of food at the production end.

(III) Optimization Strategies for Timeliness Assurance

1. Constructing an Efficient Logistics Network

Constructing a widely covered and reasonably distributed logistics network is the core of ensuring timeliness. Enterprises should reasonably layout warehousing centers and distribution centers according to the distribution of food production areas and consumption areas, shorten transportation distance and distribution radius. For example, establish origin warehouses in major fresh food producing areas, pre-cool, sort, and package fresh food before directly shipping it to consumption areas, reducing intermediate transfer links. Establish regional distribution centers in large cities and urban agglomerations to realize centralized food distribution and improve terminal distribution efficiency. In addition, the connection between logistics nodes should be strengthened, and transportation routes and transportation methods should be optimized to realize efficient “warehouse-to-warehouse” and “door-to-door” transportation.

2. Adopting Advanced Logistics Technologies

Advanced logistics technologies are important supports for improving timeliness. In addition to intelligent route planning systems and automated loading and unloading equipment, IoT and big data technologies should also be adopted to realize real-time sharing and visual management of logistics information. Through the logistics information platform, production enterprises, logistics enterprises, sales enterprises, and consumers can query real-time transportation status, location information, temperature data, and other food-related information, realizing whole-process traceability. At the same time, transportation plans can be adjusted according to real-time information to improve transportation efficiency. For example, after adopting a logistics information visualization system, a fresh food e-commerce platform allowed consumers to check the transportation trajectory and estimated delivery time of orders in real time, and the platform’s delivery timeliness complaint rate decreased by 20%.

3. Establishing an Emergency Response Mechanism

Various emergencies may occur during transportation, such as bad weather, traffic congestion, and equipment failures, which affect transportation timeliness. Therefore, enterprises should establish a sound emergency response mechanism, formulate emergency plans in advance, and clarify emergency handling processes and division of responsibilities. For example, in case of bad weather, adjust the transportation route and time in a timely manner. In case of equipment failure, arrange for standby equipment or emergency maintenance. In case of traffic congestion, use flexible delivery tools such as drones and electric tricycles for terminal delivery to ensure that food is delivered on time.

IV. Collaborative Linkage of the Three Core Requirements and Industry Development Trends

(I) Collaborative Linkage: Constructing a Food Transportation Safety and Quality Assurance System

The three core requirements of temperature control, packaging, and timeliness are not independent but an organic whole with interconnection and collaborative linkage. Temperature control is the foundation, packaging is the guarantee, and timeliness is the key. The three together form a guarantee system for food transportation safety and quality.

For example, the transportation of fresh food requires the close cooperation of temperature control, packaging, and timeliness: precise temperature control provides a suitable temperature environment for food, scientific packaging assists in temperature control and protects food from damage, and efficient timeliness shortens the residence time of food during transportation. Only through the collaborative effect of the three can the freshness and safety of fresh food be guaranteed to the greatest extent. If only temperature control is emphasized while ignoring packaging, food may deteriorate due to physical damage. If only packaging is emphasized while ignoring timeliness, food may exceed its shelf life due to excessive transportation time. If only timeliness is emphasized while ignoring temperature control, food may decay due to excessive temperature. Therefore, food transportation enterprises should establish a systematic thinking, consider the three core requirements as a whole, optimize the overall plan, and achieve collaborative efficiency improvement.

(II) Industry Development Trends

1. Continuous Improvement of Intelligence and Digitization Levels

With the continuous development of technologies such as IoT, big data, AI, and 5G, the food transportation industry will accelerate its transformation towards intelligence and digitization. Intelligent temperature control systems, intelligent packaging, intelligent logistics information platforms, and other technologies will be more widely applied, realizing automated, visual, and precise management of the entire food transportation process. For example, optimize temperature control parameters and transportation routes through AI algorithms to improve temperature control accuracy and transportation efficiency. Realize the immutability of food transportation data through blockchain technology to enhance the credibility of food quality traceability. Realize the automation of terminal delivery through unmanned delivery vehicles, drones, and other equipment to improve delivery timeliness.

2. Green and Low-Carbon Development Becoming an Industry Consensus

Under the background of the “dual carbon” goal, green and low-carbon development will become an important development direction of the food transportation industry. On the one hand, environmentally friendly packaging materials such as degradable plastics, paper-based packaging, and bamboo fiber packaging will be more widely used to replace traditional non-degradable packaging materials, reducing environmental burden. On the other hand, new energy transportation tools such as electric refrigerated trucks and hydrogen fuel refrigerated trucks will be gradually promoted to reduce carbon emissions during transportation. In addition, logistics enterprises will reduce energy consumption and pollutant emissions through optimizing transportation routes, improving loading rates, and adopting joint distribution, realizing green logistics.

3. Increasing Demand for Professional and Personalized Services

With the segmentation of the food industry and the diversification of consumer needs, the food transportation industry will develop towards professionalism and personalization. Different types of food have great differences in transportation requirements, requiring professional transportation schemes and services, such as whole-process cold chain customization services for high-end fresh food and precise temperature control transportation services for special food. At the same time, consumers have put forward personalized requirements for food freshness, delivery time, packaging methods, such as scheduled delivery and customized packaging. This will promote logistics enterprises to continuously improve their service capabilities and provide more professional and personalized transportation services.

4. Integrated Development of Supply Chain Collaboration

As an important link in the food supply chain, food transportation will be deeply integrated with production, sales, and other links to realize the integrated development of supply chain collaboration. Through the establishment of a supply chain information sharing platform, real-time information sharing between production enterprises, logistics enterprises, and sales enterprises is realized, and collaborative formulation of production plans, transportation plans, and sales plans is carried out to reduce inventory backlogs and transportation empty driving rates, improving the overall efficiency of the supply chain. At the same time, all links of the supply chain will strengthen cooperation to jointly optimize core requirements such as temperature control, packaging, and timeliness, realizing the whole-chain quality assurance of food from the production end to the consumption end.

Conclusion

Temperature control, packaging, and timeliness assurance in food transportation are the three core pillars to ensure food quality and safety, which are mutually collaborative and indispensable. Precise temperature control provides a suitable storage environment for food, scientific packaging constructs a safety protection barrier for food, and efficient timeliness minimizes the loss of food quality. In the context of the rapid development of the food industry and the continuous upgrading of consumer demands, food transportation enterprises should continuously improve the level of temperature control technology, optimize packaging design, improve transportation timeliness, strengthen the collaborative linkage of the three, and construct a sound food transportation safety and quality assurance system.

At the same time, with the continuous innovation and application of intelligent, digital, and green technologies, the food transportation industry will usher in new development opportunities and challenges. In the future, the industry should actively embrace technological changes, promote intelligent transformation, practice the concept of green and low-carbon development, improve professional and personalized service capabilities, strengthen the construction of integrated supply chain collaboration, provide consumers with safer, fresher, and more convenient food, and promote the high-quality development of the food industry.