Researchers at the University of California, Davis, USA, have developed a new type of cooling ice cube that doesn’t melt. The researchers believe the “jelly ice cubes” could revolutionise how food is kept cold and shipped without relying on ice or traditional cooling packs. The cubes are compostable and anti-microbial, and prevent cross-contamination. Professor in […]
UK-based the Institute of Refrigeration has announced that its headline event, the 7th IIR International Conference on Sustainability and the Cold Chain, or ICCC2022, has extended the call for abstracts to October 24. The event, which is due to take place online from April 11–13, 2022, will explore cold chain innovation, and developments in refrigeration technology […]
The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) has decided to hold its International Conference on Sustainability and the Cold Chain as a virtual event from April 11–13 in 2022. The conference was due to take place in Newcastle, UK, but the organisers decided to move the event online to encourage international registrations. Chairman of the Planning […]
A new feasibility study analyses Australia’s goal of halving food waste by 2030, and lays out the initiatives and investments that will be required to achieve the goal, including improvements to the cold food chain. Internationally, food waste is a huge issue. According to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, food waste produces […]
The Global Food Cold Chain Council (GFCCC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction are convening for a virtual World Cold Chain Symposium on September 14. The symposium aims to reduce global food waste, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and promote greater food security. “This is the path to addressing hunger and a better future,” […]
The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) has developed a model to calculate the CO2 emissions for each stage of the cold chain and for all countries in the world. Explained in the IIR’s latest Informatory Note, the model allows comparisons between the CO2 emissions associated with the current and “improved” versions of the global cold chain. According to […]
In partnership with British and Bangladeshi universities, the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) has inked a pact with the World Bank to develop a sustainable cold chain in Bangladesh. Named “Technical Assistance on Clean and Energy-Efficient cooling solutions for Livestock Supply Chain,” the project will provide the analytical underpinning to inform the Livestock and Dairy […]
The new Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine that is claimed to be 95 per cent effective will face a major hurdle in global distribution and storage. The drug, currently pending emergency federal approval in the US, will need to be refrigerated at -70 to -80°C. These cold storage requirements pose an enormous logistical challenge given that most […]
Failures in the cold food chain cost the Australian economy nearly $4 billion worth of wasted food at farm gate values, says a new government- and industry-sponsored study. The study was carried out by the Melbourne-based Expert Group for the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and Refrigerants Australia. This is the first time […]
The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) has published their sixth Informatory Note on Refrigeration and Food: The Role of Refrigeration in Worldwide Nutrition. It is an update of previous versions published by the IIR in November 1996 and June 2009. The Informatory Note draws on the latest facts and figures from reputable organisations such as […]