3.11. Sanitary requirements for the transportation of food products "SANITARY RULES FOR FOOD TRADE ENTERPRISES. SANITARY RULES AND STANDARDS. SanPiN 2.3.5.021-94" (approved by the Decree of the State

What types of products are there?

Food products vary in the length of time they can travel without losing quality. Depending on the production conditions and name, food is divided into 2 categories:

perishable;
non-perishable.

Perishable food

This type includes food that has a short shelf life. It must be handled very carefully and the necessary standards must be followed. Products are very picky about ambient temperature and humidity levels. The carrier will have to maintain the recommended parameters. Therefore, special equipment will be needed to transport delicate goods.

Refrigerators cope best with the task, because their freezing unit is capable of maintaining a wide range of negative temperatures, and the insulated van maintains conditions favorable for storage for a long time. In second place in popularity are isothermal cars. They can maintain the desired temperature for a long time.

Perishable products are:

Technologically processed: cheese and dairy products, sausages.
Plant-based: nuts, berries and vegetables.
Animal origin: honey, meat, fish and poultry.

There is another classification that divides food into groups according to temperature indicators:

Non-perishable foods

These foods can be consumed for a long time. Cereals, sugar and salt are stored for a very long time, as are canned goods. To deliver them to the consignee’s warehouse, there is no need to use isotherms and refrigerators. A tented van is enough, inside which you can maintain the desired level of air humidity.

Transportation and storage of perishable products

The development of communication routes makes it possible to transport goods over vast distances. At the same time, each of us has the opportunity to try a product that a couple of days ago was manufactured on the other side of the earth. But in order for goods to be transported without violating storage conditions, it is necessary to use many refrigeration units. This kind of equipment accompanies almost any food product on its way from the manufacturer’s plant to our tables.

Any production uses monoblocks that create special conditions for storing food. Also, the use of cold conditions involves many manufacturing technologies. Further, finished goods are also stored in special warehouses or refrigeration rooms. And in order to deliver finished products to the places where they are sold, it is also worth taking a responsible approach to the choice of vehicle. If the product is perishable, you should not rely on the speed of transportation and trust transportation to an unequipped vehicle. It is best to pay attention to refrigerators that are capable of transporting food even over long distances without violating storage conditions. They are able to fully maintain the temperature recommended for storing specific products.

Refrigerated trucks are found not only on highways. Equipment of such conditions also occurs in railway, air or water transport. Such conditions may be needed not only for the transport of food products, but also for the movement of medicines, scientific samples, etc. There may also be other purposes for which transportation should be carried out under certain conditions.

Refrigerators also come in different types. Some of them function as refrigerators, while others are capable of creating sub-zero temperatures at which it is easy to transport frozen foods. The production of cold in this case is carried out according to the same principle as in conventional refrigeration units. The main element that allows you to create such conditions is freon. Regardless of the type of gas used, leakage may occur. This is completely safe for humans, but response measures should be taken immediately. To do this, you can call a specialist who will top up freon R-134a or R-600a. You can also do this yourself by purchasing the required refrigerant first.

After transportation, the goods are stored in warehouses. There are also settings that affect the temperature level in the room. For such adjustment, monoblocks, air conditioners or other units are used, which also rely on the use of refrigerants as the basis of their operation. Such devices have high power, due to which the desired temperature level is maintained even in large rooms. As you can see, in order for the goods to reach our table fresh, it is important to use as many refrigeration units.

The development of the refrigeration equipment production sector is obvious. From year to year, the most convenient and practical means of storing food are invented. Their transportation and storage no longer cause any difficulties. We, in turn, can only monitor the serviceability of refrigerators, as well as carry out their timely maintenance. To do this, it is enough to refuel with freon in a timely manner, choose the right places to install the equipment, treat it with care and keep order. This will help extend the life of the refrigerator and ensure its trouble-free operation for many years.

Legislative norms

The conditions for transporting food products were established back in 1994. The document was named SanPiN 2.3.5.021-94. It is intended for commercial enterprises and describes in detail the conditions that must be observed in order to significantly extend the shelf life of goods. In some paragraphs, SanPiN also refers to other legislative acts.

The basic requirements of the document regulate the activities of organizations that warehouse, store, process and sell products. Legislators are paying increased attention to food transportation standards. It is important to deliver the cargo so that it does not deteriorate; for this you need not only to choose and equip the vehicle correctly, but also to take care of the driver’s health.

Responsibilities of drivers and forwarders

The conditions for transporting food products require the driver to undergo regular medical examinations. He must have a valid health certificate with notes on the last inspection. The driver should observe personal hygiene rules and wear special dark-colored clothing.

It should be remembered that a driver without a sanitary certificate will not be able to obtain a sanitary passport for his truck.

You cannot transport freight forwarders in a van sitting on food packages. It is necessary to comply with the requirements of SanPiN. A separate place should be allocated for personnel in which clothing and materials needed to cover goods will be stored. Loaders must perform loading and unloading operations in white sanitary clothing.

Operating personnel are required to know and follow transportation rules. Employees of shipping companies must take their job duties very seriously, because products are a special cargo that ends up on store shelves.

What should a car be like?

In order for the requirements for the transportation of food by road to be strictly observed, you need to choose a vehicle whose design and condition are suitable for meeting all the necessary conditions. In this case, there will be no difficulties during movement, and the cargo will reach the recipient completely intact.

Transportation of perishable goods

The category of perishable goods includes goods for the safety of which it is necessary to observe the specified temperature, humidity and ventilation conditions during transportation. Transportation of perishable goods is organized using transport that has temperature settings (refrigerators) or a special design that allows certain climatic conditions (isotherms) to be maintained for a long time.

Among this category of cargo there are several main groups:

products of animal origin - eggs, milk, caviar, meat and others;
products of plant origin - mushrooms, vegetables, fruits, berries;
industrial processed products – dairy and sausage products, fats, etc.;
live plants or planting material - seedlings, fry, flowers.

Methods of delivery of perishable goods

1. Transportation of perishable goods by road

Perishable products vary in the degree of temperature treatment; they can be chilled, fresh, frozen or deep-frozen. The vehicle for transportation is selected depending on the type of cargo. Frozen and deep-frozen products requiring temperatures of -10° and below require transportation by refrigerated trucks. In addition to refrigerators, isothermal trailers and semi-trailers are used that are capable of maintaining a certain temperature and climate conditions.

Road transport is usually used to deliver goods with a limited shelf life, if the travel time is 1-7 days. The temperature in the body depends on the type of cargo, duration of transportation and time of year. If it is necessary to deliver cargo with different temperature conditions, insulating partitions are installed in the refrigerator.

Vehicles must meet sanitary requirements. The body must be washed before and after transporting food. Any technical means used to transport food products must undergo inspection and receive sanitary passports.

2. Transportation of perishable goods by rail

When transporting by rail, special isothermal or refrigerated wagons and thermos tanks are used; some cargo can be transported in covered wagons with ventilation.

Before transportation begins, the shipper puts a mark on the accompanying invoice stating that the cargo belongs to the category of perishable goods. For transportation by rail, cargo is accepted in special containers: boxes (cardboard or wooden), bags, barrels, nets, sacks, drums, etc. The container must be in good working order and allow for loading and unloading. When transporting cargo in refrigerated sections, a consignment note and accompanying documents are provided for each car. On the invoice, in addition to the “Perishable” stamp, the delivery time is indicated.

Before the wagon is supplied for transportation of frozen products, the cargo area is pre-cooled to 0°. If the outside temperature is negative and the cargo requires heating, the room is heated to +6°.

3. Transportation of perishable goods by air

Organizing the transportation of perishable goods by plane is the fastest, but most expensive way. In some cases, it allows you to avoid temperature treatment of products. At any time of the year, the temperature outside is low, which ensures the cooling of the cargo. To be allowed on board, you need a quality certificate issued on the day the cargo is delivered. Perishable products must have appropriate packaging:

meat and fish - waterproof containers;
vegetables and fruits - boxes with ventilation holes;
biological preparations - glass vials placed in boxes or boxes.

4. Transportation by sea containers

One of the most economical ways to transport perishable goods is by sea in containers. This is a universal option that allows you to deliver goods through the Novorossiysk transshipment port without loss, and then send it by a convenient means of transport to your destination. For sea transportation, 3 types of containers are used:

refrigerated 20- and 40-foot containers with a refrigeration unit powered by a diesel generator;
thermally insulated – containers in which short-term transportation of perishable goods is carried out (3-7 days);
refrigerated containers with their own cooling source (liquid nitrogen, dry ice, etc.).

Container transportation with our company is carried out at affordable rates.00Under multimodal schemes, including a combination of sea container transportation and shipment by road, cargo is delivered from Turkey and other Asian countries.

Rules for the transportation of perishable goods

Transportation rules exist for each type of transport, but in most main points they duplicate each other. Among the standard points are the following:

cargo from different groups are transported separately;
joint transportation of products belonging to the same group and having the same temperature regime is permitted;
fresh cargo is prohibited from being transported with frozen cargo;
It is prohibited to exceed the delivery time specified in the accompanying documents.

Sanitary standards

Each vehicle delivering food must receive a sanitary passport. This is a mandatory requirement. The paper is issued for a period of six months for the delivery of non-perishable products and for 3 months for the transportation of perishable goods. The document contains information about the latest sanitary treatments of the body.

Purpose of the car

The main condition is that you cannot use a truck that previously delivered harmful and odorous substances to deliver food. These include gasoline, kerosene and toxic substances. A strong odor can be absorbed into the food, which is unacceptable. Toxic substances are very persistent, so they are difficult to wash off.

According to the requirements of SanPiN, for some types of products you should use a special vehicle that has the appropriate markings. These types include: dairy products, meat, bread, fish and sausage.

The covering of the inside of the van should be made of materials that facilitate the washing procedure. This norm will help to quickly clear the vehicle's workspace of cargo residues.

Body cleanliness

The requirements for a vehicle transporting food are very stringent. The body must be perfectly clean. Each treatment must be recorded in a sanitary passport. Surfaces must be cleaned not only before loading, but also after completion of the voyage. Water of a certain temperature should be used. Not all cleaning products are suitable for processing. They should not contain hazardous substances.

The staff cannot wash the body themselves because it is sometimes difficult to follow all the rules. The carrier needs to contact a specialized organization, whose employees have the right to enter information into the vehicle’s sanitary passport.

To comply with the requirements, conventional cleaning with detergents may not be sufficient. Tanks in which oil is transported must not only be washed with water, but also treated with hot steam for several hours. Only this method will completely clear the remaining product.

Air transportation

The rules for transporting food on an airplane are practically no different from those that apply during transportation by road. But there are a few additional points.

According to regulations, frozen meat and seafood should be delivered tightly packed using special thermal containers that maintain the required temperature.

The rules require that vegetables and fruits be transported in durable containers. Thanks to the packaging, the cargo does not deform and retains its consumer characteristics throughout the flight.

It is mandatory that the accompanying documentation be properly completed. You need to obtain veterinary certificates for the cargo and issue invoices.

If all the rules and regulations are followed, the regulatory authorities do not have any questions for the carrier. In this case, the goods will arrive at the consignee's warehouse exactly on time.

Vehicles for transporting perishable products

The design and equipment of the corresponding semi-trailers and refrigerators are also specified in the agreement ratified by Russia. Checking the compliance of vehicles with the rules specified in the ATP must be carried out before the truck is put into service.

Controls are then carried out every 6 years and whenever the relevant supervisory authority requests information about a truck transporting perishable goods. As a rule, such an inspection is carried out in the country where the vehicle is registered.

As a result of passing the test, the vehicle receives a so-called ATP certificate. The new rule has been in effect since 2013. If the truck is moving to a country that is party to the treaty, the test results will be valid for another three months.

In practice, this means that the technical condition of each truck equipped with a refrigeration unit transporting perishable cargo must comply with international requirements. Their implementation is confirmed by a certificate. If the carrier purchases a used refrigerator abroad, you can use the existing foreign certificate for three months. After this period, an additional examination should be carried out directly in Russia.

This solution allows you to fully exploit the vehicle fleet from the moment of its purchase. It should be remembered that previously carriers had to carry out ATP tests after registering a vehicle, that is, almost immediately.