This practical assessment examines whether cooling plates used in frozen product distribution provide thermal characteristics aligned with commonly applied frozen food cold chain requirements.
1. Background and Introduction
As part of ongoing maintenance and refurbishment activities involving ATP-IR insulated containers, attention was also given to the cooling elements commonly used within temperature-controlled distribution systems for frozen and chilled products.
Given our daily involvement in temperature management, cold chain logistics, and fresh product preservation, an indicative technical observation was carried out to gain further insight into the thermal characteristics of the FB800 cooling plate.
The purpose of this exercise was not to validate or reject any specific operational process, packaging system, or distribution method. Instead, the objective was to better understand the cooling behaviour of the FB800 and compare its observed thermal performance with commonly applied temperature requirements for frozen product distribution. Industry practices frequently refer to product temperatures of -18°C or colder during storage and -15°C or colder during short-duration transport or distribution activities.
This report is intended as a constructive technical contribution to the ongoing discussion surrounding temperature-controlled logistics and the selection of cooling media. The observations may be of particular interest to organisations operating under food safety and quality management programmes such as BRCGS, where the suitability of temperature-control measures for their intended use forms an important element of compliance and risk management.
All conclusions presented in this document are based solely on the measurements and observations described herein.
The observations presented in this report are based on practical measurements obtained using SenseAnywhere temperature monitoring equipment, combined with a controlled test configuration using an ATP-IN-classified EPP insulated box, representing the lowest insulation class recognised within the ATP framework.
By sharing these observations, the intention is to contribute to ongoing discussions concerning cold chain performance, temperature-control media selection and the principle of “Fit for Intended Use”, as commonly referenced within food safety and quality management systems, including BRCGS.
The findings should therefore be regarded as a technical observation rather than a formal performance qualification. Any definitive determination of suitability for a specific logistics operation should always be supported by product-based temperature measurements, operational validation and assessment under actual distribution conditions.
2. Objective
The purpose of this practical assessment was to obtain additional insight into the thermal characteristics of an FB800 cooling plate and to compare the observed temperature profile with temperature ranges commonly associated with frozen product distribution.
More specifically, the assessment aimed to:
- Observe the thermal behaviour of the FB800 cooling plate after conditioning and exposure to ambient conditions.
- Record temperature development using independent SenseAnywhere monitoring equipment.
- Compare measured temperatures with commonly applied frozen-product reference temperatures of -18°C for storage and -15°C for short-duration transport and distribution.
- Evaluate whether the observed thermal characteristics appear aligned with typical frozen-product logistics requirements.
- Identify potential opportunities for further cold chain optimisation.
No attempt was made to determine the performance of a complete packaging system, insulated container or distribution process. The assessment was limited to observing the thermal behaviour of the cooling medium itself within a controlled and repeatable test environment.
3. Test Setup
The assessment was performed using a controlled test configuration designed to observe the thermal response of the FB800 cooling plate under stable ambient conditions. A detailed test protocol, logger positioning overview and supporting photographs are available in Appendix A.
The appendix contains the complete methodology, logger positioning, timeline and supporting photographs.
4. Test Methodology
The data loggers and test materials (Product Simulants) were conditioned in a freezer operating at approximately -26°C prior to the test.
Ambient temperature remained relatively stable at approximately 25°C to 26°C. (High Summer – Simulation)
Further details regarding the methodology, logger positioning and test sequence are available in the: Technical Test Protocol (Appendix A)
5. Reference Temperatures for Frozen Products
For the purpose of this assessment, commonly applied frozen-product temperature criteria were used as reference values.
Although product-specific requirements may vary, frozen food logistics commonly operates around the following temperature ranges:
| Application | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Frozen storage | ≤ -18°C |
| Short-Duration Frozen Transport and Distribution | ≤ -15°C |
These values are not intended as acceptance criteria for the FB800 cooling plate itself, but are included solely to provide context when interpreting the recorded temperature data.
The reference temperatures were used throughout this assessment to compare the observed thermal characteristics of the FB800 cooling plate with temperatures commonly associated with frozen product logistics.
6. Observations and Results
General Temperature Behaviour
The FB800 cooling plate demonstrated a clear cooling effect throughout the observations.
Following introduction of the cooling plate, temperatures decreased measurably and remained within a refrigerated temperature range for an extended period.
Across the various measurements, the observed temperature range was approximately:
-3°C to +5°C depending on measurement location, test phase, and elapsed time.
During the observations, temperatures consistent with the typical frozen food range of -15°C to -18°C were not maintained.
Performance as a Cooling Element
The results indicate that the FB800 cooling plate, despite its relatively modest mass of approximately 800 grams, aand a simulated product mass of approximately 828 grams represented by frozen water (ice cubes), is capable of storing and releasing a significant amount of cooling energy.
During an extended test period of approximately 10 hours in an ATP-IN-classified EPP insulated box, a refrigerated temperature range was maintained while exposed to an ambient temperature of approximately 25°C to 26°C.
Based on this observation, the FB800 should be regarded as an effective cooling element for chilled distribution applications.
Recorded temperatures remained within a typical chilled distribution temperature range throughout the assessment, despite the ambient temperature of approximately 25°C to 26°C.
Reference Ice Observation
Reference ice cube trays were included as part of the test setup.
Upon dismantling the test, visible ice fragments remained present in both trays.
This observation confirms that not all available cooling energy contained within the water had been exhausted.
However, the presence of remaining ice should not be interpreted as evidence that frozen conditions were maintained throughout the test period.
Simultaneous logger readings recorded temperatures of approximately 3°C to 4°C during this phase, which is consistent with a chilled environment operating around the freezing point of water.
7. Available Product Information
The available product literature for the FB800 cooling plate refers to applications such as:
- Cool boxes;
- Cooler bags;
- Insulated packaging systems;
- General cooling applications.
Within the available documentation, no specifications were identified concerning:
- PCM (Phase Change Material) temperature;
- Eutectic temperature;
- Cooling capacity;
- Validation for frozen food distribution;
- Validation for maintaining product temperatures between -15°C and -18°C.
8. Relationship to BRCGS and Food Safety Principles
Within internationally recognized food safety and quality management systems, including BRCGS standards, organizations are generally expected to demonstrate that materials, packaging systems, and temperature-control measures are suitable for their intended purpose.
This principle is commonly referred to as:
“Fit for Intended Use”
For frozen food applications, this typically means that temperature-control measures should demonstrably support the maintenance of required product temperatures.
Based on the available product information and the indicative observations performed, no evidence was identified confirming that the FB800 cooling plate was specifically designed or validated for applications requiring product temperatures between -15°C and -18°C.
This observation does not automatically imply that an operation is performing outside specification. However, it may warrant further evaluation of the cooling medium where frozen product temperatures are considered critical quality or food safety parameters.
9. Potential Optimization Opportunities
Should the operational objective be to maintain frozen products consistently within the commonly accepted frozen range, several options may be considered.
Validation of the Existing System
Conducting practical, product-based temperature mapping during representative distribution cycles would provide valuable insight into actual product temperatures under operational conditions.
Eutectic Systems Designed for Frozen Applications
For ATP-IR containers, eutectic plates are available with melting points of approximately:
- -21°C
- -26 °C
These solutions align more closely with the temperature requirements typically associated with frozen products.
In practice, however, implementation is often influenced by factors such as:
- Higher acquisition costs;
- Available freezer and freezing capacity;
- Required conditioning temperatures (approximately -26°C to -31°C).
Dry Ice
From a purely technical perspective, dry ice can be a highly effective solution for frozen distribution applications.
However, operational considerations, handling requirements, safety procedures, and practical implementation challenges mean that dry ice is not always the preferred solution within every organization.
10. Conclusion
The observations conducted during this assessment indicate that the FB800 cooling plate performs effectively as a cooling element for chilled applications.
Despite a relatively modest mass of approximately 800 grams, the cooling plate maintained a refrigerated temperature range for an extended period within an ATP-IN-classified EPP insulated box operating under ambient conditions of approximately 25°C to 26°C.
Based on the measurements performed, the FB800 appears well suited for chilled distribution and storage applications.
At the same time, the collected data did not provide evidence that the thermal characteristics of the FB800 correspond to the operational temperature requirements generally associated with frozen foods (-15°C to -18°C).
The observations therefore suggest that the FB800 is thermally better aligned with chilled supply chains than with applications requiring ongoing support of frozen product conditions.
The observations therefore suggest that cooling-medium selection may deserve the same level of attention as insulation performance when designing or evaluating temperature-controlled distribution systems for frozen products
This report is provided as a constructive technical observation and potential optimization opportunity within existing cold chain operations.
Written by Eppo Woortman
From Assumptions to Assurance in Logistics
Temperature & Fresh Preservation Consultant
This article is part of the developing FATA-IN-LOGISTICS knowledge initiative, dedicated to temperature control, freshness preservation and sensitive goods logistics.