Commercial fishermen spend a great deal of time protecting the quality of their catch after it comes over the rail, and a company specializing in cold chain monitoring says new visual indicator technology could make it easier to verify that seafood has remained within safe temperature limits throughout the supply chain.
Vitsab, a Sweden-based food safety technology company, recently highlighted its Freshtag time-temperature indicators, which use an enzyme-based reaction to track the cumulative effects of temperature exposure rather than recording individual temperature readings.
According to the company, the labels gradually change color based on both time and temperature, providing what it describes as a simple stoplight-style visual signal that reflects a product's overall temperature history. Unlike traditional thermometers or data loggers that require users to interpret temperature graphs, the indicators are designed to show whether a product has experienced enough temperature abuse to potentially affect quality or food safety.
For the seafood industry, the technology could have applications throughout the cold chain, from vessels and docks to processors, distributors and retailers. Vitsab says the indicators can be calibrated for specific products, including seafood, using microbial growth data to better match the spoilage characteristics of different foods.
The company also says cumulative monitoring may help reduce unnecessary product waste by distinguishing between seafood that remains safe after minor temperature fluctuations and products that have experienced more significant exposure requiring intervention.
While the technology is not intended to replace refrigeration or conventional temperature monitoring, Vitsab says it can serve as an additional quality assurance tool by providing an easy-to-read visual record of a product's temperature history during transport and storage.
The company says demand for clear cold chain monitoring tools is expected to grow as seafood supply chains become increasingly complex and products move through multiple handling points before reaching consumers.
