Quality cargo control process

• Identify the critical points contributing to significant quality characteristics. Take samples and record visual cargo inspections at each crucial point, depending on the batch or continuous operation as a sample.
  
  
• Keep your eye on a consistent system for orderly continuous evaluation of quality through different processing stages. Be transparent about ensuring random samples can be taken (e.g., is it always the top left carton, you may set up a system open for rigging)
  
  
• Analyze color defects, deformation, sunburn, stains, pests, scars, softness, open wounds. Each type of produce will have its own risks, but these are usually well understood by the seller and buyer. Agree on upfront to the inspection process and metrics at shipping and receiving to avoid surprises.
  
  
• Be mindful of the local climate you're shipping to and from. Exposure to heat and humidity accelerates the ripening process. 
  
  
• Take pictures in your quality cargo control process, ensuring that your product's condition is adequate to the standards and legal requirements.
  
  
• Be transparent! In order to build trust it is important that every step above should be available to all parties involved. So share those pictures you just took.

Optimizing your product quality control processes is essential from a logistics cost perspective, primarily operational productivity at all stages of the Supply Chain. It is important to remember that each fruit or vegetable has its own history, and it is crucial to be careful with extreme temperatures, humidity, staleness, or even spoilage. 

Also, try to understand the restrictions regarding their biological, physical, and chemical characteristics to create a favorable environment for their preservation.

Storing and packing

• Pick your primary container depending on the type (and volume) of fruit you are shipping. Wooden crates and trays work well for shipping hard fruits or vegetables. Plastic containers are great for small soft food, while molded trays are a good fit for anything that might easily bruise if rolled. 

• Pack containers tightly together if you're shipping in bulk, while ensuring sufficient ventilation. Use plastic lids to protect it from damage caused by surrounding containers.
  
  
• Use packing material within the container to prevent the contents from shifting. Mark your outer containers as "Perishable."

Cargo transportation 

Transportation is undoubtedly the most vulnerable stage. It's when the shipper can't be in total control. However, every effort must correlate with the standards and conditions of preserving perishable food. 

The following types of cargo transportation were created to keep perishable products at the ideal temperature and avoid damage.

• Isothermal: isolating walls, doors, ceiling, and floor, limiting the exchange of heat between the exterior and the interior of the van. 
• Refrigerated: a non-mechanical cold source that can reduce the interior temperature and maintain it for an average exterior temperature of 30ºC to -20ºC. 
• Freezer: rigid production mechanism to reduce the internal temperature of the space and keep it at a consistent temperature between -12ºC and -20ºC. 

Having the aid of the right technology in your processes is key to ensuring the quality of your products and gaining your customer's trust. 

Cargosnap is the tool that can help you check cargo and generate evidence throughout logistics and supply chain management. Transparency in perishable foods is vital for disseminating good practices and safety. 

You create an audit trail throughout the process by guaranteeing the previous stage of the Supply Chain and meeting all the product's quality and conservation requirements. So we can all safely enjoy your valuable products.

Curious to know how Libraport created real-time insights into their quality control processes? Read the case study here.