Today’s consumers expect fresh produce – grown and shipped from all over the world – to be available at all times. That’s the critical challenge cold chain logistics management faces. It takes supply chain management, an already complex system, one step further, demanding even more precision and seamless coordination.
And it doesn’t stop there. Both the food and pharmaceutical industries are under strict regulations to ensure consumers and patients receive only safe foods, vaccines, and other temperature-sensitive products.
But how can operators in the food and pharmaceutical industry ensure an unbroken cold chain? The answer lies in barcodes.
This tried and tested data capture technology is already in use in supply chains worldwide. Meanwhile, developments, such as GS1 Digital Link, further expand its potential for product traceability.
In this article, we discuss how barcode technology can be used for cold chain logistics and how it helps overcome common challenges.
Core elements of the cold chain
Maintaining precise product temperatures necessitates specific actions. Three core elements for ensuring product safety are:
- Refrigerated production, storage, and cold chain distribution facilities: At all times, items need to be kept cool. Refrigerated trucks, warehouses, containers, and specialized packaging build the foundation of a functioning cold chain.
- Continuous temperature monitoring and control: Maintaining the required temperature throughout all stages of the cold chain is paramount. Continuous monitoring is therefore crucial in identifying dangerous deviations.
- Specialized logistics and handling procedures: Specialized solutions are critical to ensuring an unbroken cold chain.
Challenges of cold chain logistics management
However, controlling and maintaining the required low temperatures while storing, transporting, and distributing perishable goods comes with many challenges.
- Regulatory compliance: Compliance with the strict regulations surrounding the handling, storage, and transport of temperature-sensitive goods requires continuous documentation and adherence to standards, such as the FDA’s standard for the storage and handling of prescription drugs.
- Monitoring and tracking: Real-time tracking and monitoring are essential to detect and respond to temperature fluctuations. However, monitoring a product at every stage of the cold chain requires immense operational efforts.
- Maintaining temperature control: Even brief exposure and resulting temperature deviations can degrade product quality and render them useless. That’s why maintaining temperature control has to be achieved with several measures.
- Energy consumption and high costs: The required specialized equipment and compliance measures often consume a lot of energy, resulting in high operational costs.
- Equipment reliability: Malfunctioning refrigeration units, sensors, and trucks can cause temperature deviations that, if not caught early on, can lead to spoilage and product loss.
- Shipping delays and supply chain disruptions: Delays caused by transportation issues can compromise product safety, as the cold chain is time-sensitive.
Cold chain operators have a real need for a cost-efficient system that streamlines processes, helps identify potential bottlenecks and disruptions, and keep compliance with regulatory requirements.
This is where barcodes come into play.
Barcodes in cold chain logistics management
But how can these familiar black and white bars and pixel patterns be used in the cold chain to navigate these challenges? Let’s have a look at the characteristics of barcodes and what exactly makes them suitable for protecting the cold chain.
Barcodes – small but powerful data carriers
A barcode is a visual, machine-readable representation of data.
They come in two main types: 1D barcodes, represented by black-and-white bars of varying widths and lengths. And 2D barcodes, with patterns of black-and-white squares and dots to encode more complex data than 1D barcodes.
Not only can barcodes encode information in a small space – and therefore serve as data carriers. They can also be easily scanned thanks to advancements in image processing technology.
How barcode technology streamlines cold chain logistics management
In this way, barcodes serve as an effective way of communicating information along the cold chain. Let’s find out how they address common challenges.
Enhanced cold chain visibility
Barcodes enable real-time tracking of temperature-sensitive goods at every stage of the supply chain. After each product or batch is assigned a unique barcode containing vital information such as temperature requirements, it can be scanned at every stage of the cold chain. This ensures products are stored and transported under the right conditions.
At the same time, this information can be used to trace batches in case of product recalls.
Automated data capture and reduced human error
By replacing error-prone manual data entry, barcodes improve the accuracy of inventory and shipment records. This is crucial for compliance with regulatory standards.
Efficient inventory management
Barcode scanning speeds up warehouse operations by enabling quick identification, location, and verification of products. This reduces handling time and helps optimize storage space in cold chain facilities.
Regulatory compliance and reporting
Barcode systems ensure accurate labeling, traceability, and documentation, which are essential for meeting regulations in the pharmaceutical and food industry.
Mobile barcode scanners: Automated data extraction for the cold chain
Barcode technology offers a robust solution for optimizing various aspects of cold storage supply chain management, leading to greater efficiency and reduced waste.
These days, even ordinary smartphones scan barcodes swiftly and accurately. Combined with modern barcode scanner software, they replace expensive dedicated scanners that require comprehensive employee training.
One such software is the Scanbot Barcode Scanner SDK, a software development kit containing a comprehensive tool set for easy and swift integration into any mobile or web app.
For instance, the SDK’s Ready-to-Use UI Components (RTU UI) enable you to integrate a barcode scanner functionality into your app within minutes – while still offering extensive customization options.
The SDK scans all common barcode types, even when they are damaged or under less than ideal lighting conditions. It works entirely offline, without connection to third-party servers, ensuring not only data security but also functionality in remote locations.
See for yourself how it works, and try our free barcode scanner demo apps. If you would like to learn more, feel free to reach out to our solution experts at sdk@scanbot.io.
