Criteria for temperature alerts in cod supply chains

Purpose – Wireless sensor network (WSN) technologies are now available to implement real time temperature monitoring systems in food supply chains. The aim of this paper is to examine different types of methods and criteria to establish alerts in decision support systems in perishable food supply chains. Design/methodology/approach – Logistic and temperature mapping was performed in cod supply chains to obtain data to establish criteria for temperature alerts. Data were collected for both ambient temperature and temperature of products packed in expanded polystyrene boxes. Findings – Alerts based on single criterion for ambient temperature resulted in false alerts when compared to criteria for product temperature. More complex methods that took into account both temperature abuse and the severity of the abuse resulted in more relevant alerts for the chilled cod supply chain. Research limitations/implications – The research is based on mapping of cod supply chains with a limited number of iterations. Practical implications – The scope of the research is the application of WSN in an actual supply chain of chilled cod transported from Iceland to Europe, which has relevance in assisting management decision making in the supply chain to prevent losses of quality and minimize waste. Originality/value – Failure to maintain a low temperature occurs frequently at handover points where alert systems are usually not in place. The theoretical implication of this paper is the development of a conceptual framework for setting up temperature criteria for real time decision support systems in food supply chains.