scholarly journals Recent Advances in Reducing Food Losses in the Supply Chain of Fresh Agricultural Produce

Processes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 1431
Author(s):  
Daniel I. Onwude ◽  
Guangnan Chen ◽  
Nnanna Eke-emezie ◽  
Abraham Kabutey ◽  
Alfadhl Yahya Khaled ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Mathematical Models ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Quality Loss ◽  
Agricultural Produce ◽  
Digital Twins ◽  
Food Losses

Fruits and vegetables are highly nutritious agricultural produce with tremendous human health benefits. They are also highly perishable and as such are easily susceptible to spoilage, leading to a reduction in quality attributes and induced food loss. Cold chain technologies have over the years been employed to reduce the quality loss of fruits and vegetables from farm to fork. However, a high amount of losses (≈50%) still occur during the packaging, pre-cooling, transportation, and storage of these fresh agricultural produce. This study highlights the current state-of-the-art of various advanced tools employed to reducing the quality loss of fruits and vegetables during the packaging, storage, and transportation cold chain operations, including the application of imaging technology, spectroscopy, multi-sensors, electronic nose, radio frequency identification, printed sensors, acoustic impulse response, and mathematical models. It is shown that computer vision, hyperspectral imaging, multispectral imaging, spectroscopy, X-ray imaging, and mathematical models are well established in monitoring and optimizing process parameters that affect food quality attributes during cold chain operations. We also identified the Internet of Things (IoT) and virtual representation models of a particular fresh produce (digital twins) as emerging technologies that can help monitor and control the uncharted quality evolution during its postharvest life. These advances can help diagnose and take measures against potential problems affecting the quality of fresh produce in the supply chains. Plausible future pathways to further develop these emerging technologies and help in the significant reduction of food losses in the supply chain of fresh produce are discussed. Future research should be directed towards integrating IoT and digital twins for multiple shipments in order to intensify real-time monitoring of the cold chain environmental conditions, and the eventual optimization of the postharvest supply chains. This study gives promising insight towards the use of advanced technologies in reducing losses in the postharvest supply chain of fruits and vegetables.

Sustainable logistics barriers of fruits and vegetables

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 2589-2610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh Raut ◽  
Bhaskar B. Gardas
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Sustainable Transportation ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Interpretive Structural Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Logistics

PurposeThe reduction of food wastage at every stage of a fresh produce supply chain helps in achieving balance among all three dimensions (social, ecological and economic) of the sustainability and helps in stimulating the growth and development in the agricultural domain. The purpose of this paper is to address the causal factors of post-harvesting losses (PHLs) occurring in the transportation phase.Design/methodology/approachThrough exhaustive literature survey and expert opinions, 12 crucial barriers to sustainable transportation of fruits and vegetables (F&V) are identified. The interpretive structural modeling (ISM) methodology, a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach, is employed for developing a structural model of the identified barriers.FindingsThe results of the analysis highlighted that two factors, namely, the non-availability of refrigerated vehicles, and excessive loading on the vehicles, are the most significant barriers to sustainable transportation which are found to have the highest driving power.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of the present research are applicable to the F&V supply chains only. The established interrelation among the identified factors depends on the judgments given by the experts which could be biased. The developed ISM model is intended to guide the policy and decision makers for formulating the policies for the performance improvement of the fresh produce value chain.Originality/valueIt is the first research of its kind focusing on the model development of critical factors causing PHLs in the transportation phase of the agricultural fresh produce supply chain using MCDM process.

Cold Chain Logistics in India

2016 ◽  
pp. 159-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swapnil Saurav ◽  
Ravi Potti
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Horticultural Crops ◽  
Perishable Goods ◽  
Power Deficit ◽  
Marine Products

Cold Chain refers to the transportation of temperature sensitive products like perishable goods from the point of origin to point of consumption in the food supply chain, which keeps it fresh and edible for a much longer period than in normal conditions. Cold Chain helps in transporting seasonal products and also making it available throughout the year. Two main parts of cold chain are transportation and storage systems. The key Indian industries where cold chain logistics play very important role are fruits and vegetables, milk and milk products (ice cream), Poultry and processed meat, marine products, pharmaceutical (mainly vaccines) and chemicals. An efficient cold chain industry ensures availability of food products as well as prevents spoilage of medicines. Country like India, where infrastructure is one of the major challenges, cold chain plays a critical role. Analysis for this study shows that cold supply chain network does not differ significantly from products to products at least in Indian scenario. Some of the challenges to the growth of sector in India are high energy cost, power deficit, rising real estate cost, lack of logistical support and uneven distribution of capacity. All these challenges bring down the operating margin of a company and makes it not so attractive business sector. But during last couple of years there is a positive environment being created for this sector in India. The growth in organized retail, growing interest in horticultural crops, demand for cold chain logistics from Pharmaceutical industry and various initiatives by government are some of the reasons why there is a renewed interest in this sector especially by private sector players. This study, which is focused on Indian cold chain logistics, analyzes the industry on PEST (Political, Economy, Social and Technology) model and presents top 3 factors on each of these 4 parameters.

scholarly journals Reusable Plastic Crates (RPCs) for Fresh Produce (Case Study on Cauliflowers): Sustainable Packaging but Potential Salmonella Survival and Risk of Cross-Contamination

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1254
Author(s):  
Francisco López-Gálvez ◽  
Laura Rasines ◽  
Encarnación Conesa ◽  
Perla A. Gómez ◽  
Francisco Artés-Hernández ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Medium Density Fiberboard ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
Multiple Use ◽  
Contact Materials

The handling of fresh fruits and vegetables in reusable plastic crates (RPCs) has the potential to increase the sustainability of packaging in the fresh produce supply chain. However, the utilization of multiple-use containers can have consequences related to the microbial safety of this type of food. The present study assessed the potential cross-contamination of fresh cauliflowers with Salmonella enterica via different contact materials (polypropylene from RPCs, corrugated cardboard, and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) from wooden boxes). Additionally, the survival of the pathogenic microorganism was studied in cauliflowers and the contact materials during storage. The life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was used to evaluate the environmental impact of produce handling containers made from the different food-contact materials tested. The results show a higher risk of cross-contamination via polypropylene compared with cardboard and MDF. Another outcome of the study is the potential of Salmonella for surviving both in cross-contaminated produce and in contact materials under supply chain conditions. Regarding environmental sustainability, RPCs have a lower environmental impact than single-use containers (cardboard and wooden boxes). To exploit the potential environmental benefits of RPCs while ensuring food safety, it is necessary to guarantee the hygiene of this type of container.

Developing a National Eco-System for Sustainable Vegatable Supply Chain in Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruchira T. Gunarathne ◽  
◽  
Yapa Mahinda Bandara ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Distribution Channels ◽  
High Price ◽  
Price Fluctuations ◽  
Contemporary Topic

Fruits and vegetables supply chain in Sri Lanka has always been a contemporary topic due to its significant value to the economy of the country. The existing fruits and vegetables supply chain is already suffering from dilemmas such as high price fluctuations, excess supply and wastage, involvement of large number of intermediaries and lack of infrastructure. The recent Covid-19 pandemic has put a tremendous pressure on already trembling supply chains. Sudden lock downs have led to disruption of existing distribution channels resulting farmers throwing away millions of tons of fresh fruits and vegetables while consumers in urban areas paying extremely high prices for fresh produce. The current situations clearly demonstrate the need for a more responsive and integrated vegetables supply chain for Sri Lanka. This paper attempts to create a conceptual model for the vegetable supply chain ecosystem for Sri Lanka.

Supply Chain of Fruits & Vegetables Agribusiness in Uttarakhand (India): Major Issues and Challenges

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1and2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saurav Negi ◽  
Neeraj Anand
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Total Production ◽  
Employment Opportunities ◽  
Green Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Rural And Urban Areas

Fruits & vegetables (F&V) crops being high value crops are important in raising the incomes of the farmers besides creating employment opportunities. Fruits and vegetables sector in India has gained its credibility for providing sustainable income, nutritional security and for providing employment opportunities, both in rural and urban areas. India is the second largest food producer in the world, after china and one of the centers of origin of fruits and vegetables with the total production. Various high temperate fruits and vegetables like apples, oranges, pears, peaches, litchis, plums, tomato, green leafy vegetables etc. are widely grown in Himalayas and tarai region of Uttarakhand and are important to the large food processing industry. Fruits and vegetables is one of the most significant and thrust sector of the economy of Uttarakhand state. The entire supply chain of fruits and vegetables in Uttarakhand is laden with the various issues which resulting to poor price realization of growers on one hand and exorbitant prices paid by consumers on the other. Highly inefficient supply chain and cold chain infrastructure is the major impediment in the path of speedy growth of F&V production sector in Uttarakhand. The present study undertakes a thorough review of basic and contemporary literature available and discussed the issues and challenges related to supply chain of fruits and vegetables sector in state of Uttarakhand, India and suggested the corresponding mitigation strategies. As Uttarakhand economy is based on agriculture, there is a need to develop efficient supply chain which may play an important role in increasing the shelf life of the F&V and in turn reduce the losses and wastage in fruits and vegetables, increase in farmer income, generate employments opportunities for the local peoples, and improve the livelihood of the farmers which leads to the development of Uttarakhand and Indian economy as a whole.

scholarly journals Battling Food Losses and Waste in Saudi Arabia: Mobilizing Regional Efforts and Blending Indigenous Knowledge to Address Global Food Security Challenges

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8402
Author(s):  
Suliman Ali Al-Khateeb ◽  
Abid Hussain ◽  
Stefan Lange ◽  
Mohammad M. Almutari ◽  
Felicitas Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
National Level ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Food Supply Chain ◽  
Gcc Countries ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Food Losses

Food Loss and Waste (FLW) that entail substantial economic, environmental, and social cost is of great concern for a country fulfilling > 80% of food demands through the import of agricultural commodities. The current study mainly aimed at bringing together a wide range of perspectives on FLW by multi-stakeholder engagement in order to enhance cooperation and network building with respect to sharing knowledge and experiences on FLW prevention activities along the entire food supply chain for a country located at the geographic frontier facing stubborn challenges of desertification, water scarcity, and harsh climatic conditions. These challenges are not only being addressed at the national level but have also been made the focus of multilateral activities in 2020 as part of the Saudi G20 Presidency. The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture under the umbrella of the G20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) hosted a regional workshop on FLW in collaboration with the Thünen Institute, Germany, to raise awareness among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The present paper provides insights into the current status of FLW by revealing that, overall, 33.1% of the total available food in the Kingdom is lost and wasted during the entire food supply chain. Overall, the GCC countries witnessed higher percentages of food waste compared with food losses. Environmental conditions prevailing in the region necessitate the development of adequate and appropriate cold chain storage facilities for balanced distribution through cold storage transportation facilities along the food supply chain to minimize food losses. However, campaigns and activities to raise awareness with a view of changing attitudes towards reducing FLW by the adoption of good practices, promoting the concept of circular economy practices, and the establishment of food banks for surplus food redistribution are important to mitigate FLW in the Kingdom.

scholarly journals Digital twins are coming: Will we need them in supply chains of fresh horticultural produce?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thijs Defraeye ◽  
Chandrima Shrivastava ◽  
Tarl Berry ◽  
Pieter Verboven ◽  
Daniel Onwude ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chains ◽  
Food Quality ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Marketing Strategies ◽  
Quality Loss ◽  
Digital Twin ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Digital Twins ◽  
Gas Atmosphere ◽  
Postharvest Life

Background. Digital twins have advanced fast in various industries, but are just emerging in postharvest supply chains. A digital twin is a virtual representation of fresh horticultural produce. This twin is linked to the real-world product by sensors supplying data of the environmental conditions near the target fruit or vegetable. Statistical and data-driven twins quantify how fresh-produce quality loss occurs by grasping patterns in the data. Physics-based twins provide an augmented insight into the underlying physical, biochemical, microbiological and physiological processes, enabling to explain also why this quality loss occurs.Scope and Approach. We identify what the key advantages are of digital twins and how the fresh-produce supply chain can benefit from them in the future. Key Findings and Conclusions. A digital twin has a huge potential to help horticultural produce to tell its history as it drifts along throughout its postharvest life. The reason is that each shipment is subject to a unique and unpredictable set of temperature and gas atmosphere conditions from farm to consumer. Digital twins help to identify the resulting, largely uncharted, postharvest evolution of food quality. The benefit of digital twins particularly comes forward for perishable species and at low airflow rates. Digital twins provide actionable data for exporters, retailers, and consumers, such as the remaining shelf life for each shipment, on which logistics decisions and marketing strategies can be based. The twins also help diagnose and predict potential problems in supply chains that will reduce food quality and induce food loss. Twins can even suggest preventive shipment-tailored measures to reduce retail and household food losses.

scholarly journals Bridging the Gaps in Traceability Systems for Fresh Produce Supply Chains: Overview and Development of an Integrated IoT-Based System

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (16) ◽  
pp. 7596
Author(s):  
Aristotelis C. Tagarakis ◽  
Lefteris Benos ◽  
Dimitrios Kateris ◽  
Nikolaos Tsotsolas ◽  
Dionysis Bochtis
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Quality And Safety ◽  
Traceability System ◽  
Access Information ◽  
Fresh Products ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Complicated Task

Traceability, namely the ability to access information about a product and its movement across all stages of the supply chain, has been emerged as a key criterion of a product’s quality and safety. Managing fresh products, such as fruits and vegetables, is a particularly complicated task, since they are perishable with short shelf lives and are vulnerable to environmental conditions. This makes traceability of fresh produce very significant. The present study provides a brief overview of the relative literature on fresh produce traceability systems. It was concluded that the commercially available traceability systems usually neither cover the entire length of the supply chain nor rely on open and transparent interoperability standards. Therefore, a user-friendly open access traceability system is proposed for the development of an integrated solution for traceability and agro-logistics of fresh products, focusing on interoperability and data sharing. Various Internet of Things technologies are incorporated and connected to the web, while an android-based platform enables the monitoring of the quality of fruits and vegetables throughout the whole agri-food supply chain, starting from the field level to the consumer and back to the field. The applicability of the system, named AgroTRACE, is further extended to waste management, which constitutes an important aspect of a circular economy.

scholarly journals Shelf life modelling for first-expired-first-out warehouse management

2014 ◽  
Vol 372 (2017) ◽  
pp. 20130306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarten L. A. T. M. Hertog ◽  
Ismail Uysal ◽  
Ultan McCarthy ◽  
Bert M. Verlinden ◽  
Bart M. Nicolaï
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Shelf Life ◽  
Optimization Problem ◽  
Search Algorithm ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Land Resources ◽  
Warehouse Management ◽  
Food Losses ◽  
The Cost

In the supply chain of perishable food products, large losses are incurred between farm and fork. Given the limited land resources and an ever-growing population, the food supply chain is faced with the challenge of increasing its handling efficiency and minimizing post-harvest food losses. Huge value can be added by optimizing warehouse management systems, taking into account the estimated remaining shelf life of the product, and matching it to the requirements of the subsequent part of the handling chain. This contribution focuses on how model approaches estimating quality changes and remaining shelf life can be combined in optimizing first-expired-first-out cold chain management strategies for perishable products. To this end, shelf-life-related performance indicators are used to introduce remaining shelf life and product quality in the cost function when optimizing the supply chain. A combinatorial exhaustive-search algorithm is shown to be feasible as the complexity of the optimization problem is sufficiently low for the size and properties of a typical commercial cold chain. The estimated shelf life distances for a particular batch can thus be taken as a guide to optimize logistics.

scholarly journals Decisions and coordination of retailer-led fresh produce supply chains under two-period dynamic pricing and portfolio contracts

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Yan ◽  
Liguo Han
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Dynamic Pricing ◽  
Price Change ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Order Quantity ◽  
Option Contract ◽  
Agricultural Produce ◽  
Decentralized Decision Making ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Second Period

Fresh agricultural produce is almost the staple food and necessity of people's daily diet all over the world. However, natural perishability and freshness affect the demand for fresh agricultural produce. Due to the change of freshness, the retailer has to adopt a multi-period dynamic pricing strategy to deal with unsold products. The research object of this paper is the retailer's two-echelon supply chain of fresh agricultural produce, and the aim is to achieve the optimal two-period coordination and ordering through options and wholesale contracts in the supply chain. In the case of two-period pricing, we find that the optimal wholesale order quantity increases with the decline of the price in the first period and tends to be stable with the decline of the price in the second period. In contrast, the price change in the first period has a greater impact on the retailer's optimal order quantity. The profits of both the retailer and the supplier increase significantly with the increase of the price in the first period, while the impact of the change of the price in the second period is not obvious. Meanwhile, decentralized decision-making can only be coordinated in the supply chain through the original option contract at the first-period price. In the second period, the cost-sharing contract is introduced to coordinate the supply chain, increase orders, and increase the profits of both the retailer and the supplier. These findings are of great significance for both the retailer and the supplier in the multi-period dynamic pricing of fresh produce under the option contract.

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