More than enough food is now being produced to feed everyone on the planet. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization projected in August 2007 that global food supplies will be able to meet the needs of an expanded world population of 2030, and that “openness towards international markets, investments in infrastructure, the promotion of economic integration and limits on market concentration, could make globalization work for the benefit of the poor.” Econofrost contributes to making that infrastructure work more efficiently at the local retail level.
Global Food Distribution
While some regions of the world produce more agricultural products than nearby populations require and other regions rely on food that must be shipped great distances, one of the great challenges to feeding everyone on the planet is improving food distribution from farm to food plate around the world. Even when the distance between producer and consumer can be minimized, and where local and regional food supply systems are well developed, foods are being shipped vast distances. Consumers ultimately enjoy unprecedented choices and and come to expect consistent supplies of better quality foods and favorite brands.
Developing Countries
The increased use of refrigeration technologies are improving the efficiency of fresh food distribution in developing countries as has long been the case in North America and Europe. Removal of field heat and better preservation of harvested crops stimulate agricultural production and commerce. Fruit, flowers, vegetables, milk and meats can be stored for longer periods and distributed to more distant markets. Even highly perishable produce, fish and cold drinks are being kept fresher during transport and while stored on display shelves at their retail distribution points.
“On the whole, developing countries focus more on increasing agricultural production than on preserving agricultural products. This explains why post-production losses are so high, whether in the field or during transport, storage and distribution”, states Francois Billiard, Director of the International Institute of Refrigeration However, sophisticated refrigeration technologies are no longer exclusive to developed countries of Europe and North America. Developing countries in Latin America and Asia, particularly China where profound changes to the business climate are taking place and demands for energy is exploding, are advancing their food distribution networks with increasingly efficient refrigerated storage, transportation and display systems.
“Refrigeration is an appealing food preservation process, because it is one of the few that preserves the original properties of foodstuffs,” says Billiard . “Its main field of application is the preservation of foodstuffs of animal origin: meat, dairy and fishery products. However, the process is also used to freeze foodstuffs of plant origin, or to chill them, in which case the purpose is to extend their storage life, and to maintain their freshness.” Refrigeration also opens up lucrative markets to developing countries for goods like tropical fruits and other produce that must be delivered fresh or not at all.
Retail Food Preservation
Progressive globalization is increasing the complexity of food delivery networks and is expanding demand for reliable and efficient food preservation systems. The food industry refers to systems delivering refrigerated foods to the consumer as “the cold chain.” The cold chain requires systems to be in place that ensure food is harvested, stored and distributed to retailers and consumers in ways that minimize spoilage at all stages.
The retail outlet is often where the cold chain fails because open food display cabinets are subject to temperature fluctuations in the store environment or where ambient temperatures are very high as in tropical zones. However, the hours that stores are closed overnight can be used as a time to stabilize proper temperatures and protect food integrity and quality. Retail stores of all sizes can afford to significantly reduce energy waste by covering food display cabinets overnight with Econofrost night covers. It is a quick and easy operation to roll down the covers at the end of the day.
Econofrost Protects Profit Margins
Econofrost reflective night covers were created to improve the efficiency of refrigerated display systems at the retail level. Already established in the international marketplace, Econofrost technology offers simple and cost effective solutions to fresh food retailers wherever they are needed. The use of Econofrost thermal shields to cover refrigerated display cases overnight extends the shelf life of refrigerated foods and protects retail profit margins in the face of increasing energy costs. Installing Econofrost thermal shields is a simple, affordable way to save energy and decrease the load on older refrigeration equipment.
Econofrost has served the supermarket industry since 1975 and made over 250,000 installations in nearly 30 countries. Market Group Ventures, Inc., the parent corporation for Econofrost and Promolux Lighting International, is a world leader in providing retail technology solutions for merchandisers.
References
FAO Newsroom, World agriculture 2030: Global food production will exceed population growth, http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/news/2002/7828-en.html
François Billiard, New Developments in the Cold Chain: Specific Issues in Warm Countries, http://www.airah.org.au/downloads/2003-07-01.pdf.
