According to the company, sensors can be placed to monitor critical food areas such as storerooms, cabinets, refrigerators or freezers. No wiring is needed, and up to 100 sensors will transmit to a single host receiver.
Ensuring the correct humidity levels in food production is a crucial consideration. In both the US and EU for example, legislation requires sectors such as the meat processing sector to control condensation on ceilings and other overhead surfaces that may drip onto, and possibly contaminate, food products being processed.
DeltaTRAK's innovation expands its line of products and services for monitoring and recording environmental conditions. It is designed to meet industry demands for efficient, reliable, and user-friendly systems, and is fully automated.
A critical feature is that the innovation uses RFID technology. This is something that is increasingly being used in food production to track the products through the supply chain, but is also something that is being applied to ensure quality and safety. Another company, Syscan International, recently launched its RFID-based Tempasure solution for monitoring shipments of temperature sensitive products.
This integrated tracking system can be used to record the various temperature ranges undergone by a particular product as it travels both nationally or internationally. The company claims that having the ability to have a permanent, incontrovertible record of the temperature history of a product enhances the safety of the consumer, lowers insurance costs and reduces the possibility of legal disputes over the liability for a particular loss.
In a similar way, DeltaTRAK's FlashLink system incorporates RFID technology with temperature and humidity sensors, repeaters, receivers, a PC computer and FlashLink Wireless Manager software. A facilities manager can easily move the sensors around or add more, if necessary, since no wiring is involved.
"There are many reasons for a company to install and use this technology," said DeltaTRAK president Fred Wu. "Continuous monitoring with real-time alarm notification is essential when valuable, environmentally sensitive materials are stored in multiple locations and must be protected from temperature or humidity fluctuations.
"We are excited to offer an integrated, scalable solution for improved inventory protection with a high return on investment."
The company claims that FlashLink Wireless System meets or exceeds HACCP, QA and regulatory guidelines for the maintenance of environmental monitoring records. FlashLink Wireless Manager software is FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliant.
Three types of sensor designs are available: ambient temperature, ambient temperature and humidity, and product temperature penetration probe. The host receiver connects to the serial port on the PC, and receives signals from sensors up to 600 feet away or from a repeater up to 1,300 feet distance.
Accurate observations are received every 60 seconds, continuously around the clock, into a secure database management system that tracks and logs all data collected. If a sensor records out-of-range conditions, the alarm module calls each person on a user defined phone alert list until contact is made.