What we have written on the cold chain139 / 154

ATP does not automatically apply to every chilled shipment. Verify applicability from route, product and equipment before dispatch.

An EPS box has no fixed number of hours; wall thickness, outside temperature and the amount of ice give the time through a calculation. In the example box at 30 °C the ice is gone in about 14 hours.

Do not simply add the first batch to an existing route. Verify product needs, packaging, receipt and temperature records in a limited pilot.

GEBHARDT Isotec TBX can be washed by hand, with a pressure washer or in an automated washing line. For an audit, what counts is a wash log and a seal check.

Determine document requirements by checking country, route, product, equipment scope and contract together.

A foam box has no hours of its own; wall, coolant and outside air decide it. Worked example: a 46-litre EPP box with 31 mm walls stays cold for about 7 hours with 2 kg of ice at 25 °C.

According to the EPS industry association EUMEPS, the EU recycling rate for post-consumer EPS packaging is about 40 per cent. That is industry data; your own site's rate comes from monthly records.

Separate odour, brine and cleaning needs by product; verify the container against the real route and wash method.

Announced or not, when the power goes the clock starts on everything in the cold room. What decides the outcome is a closed door, a pre-frozen plate and a measurement after the cut.

The longest kitchen-to-service wait decides the trolley type: insulation covers a short wait, a longer one needs a heated or refrigerated model. Measure that wait for a week before choosing.

Compare quotes against the same written use specification, accessories, maintenance and your measured number of trips.

Do not calculate shelf life with a universal temperature rule. Review product requirements, time-temperature profile and validated shelf-life data together.