Cold Storage

Critical Control Point

Food Safety Management System (FSMS) – Technical Documentation

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1. Introduction

Cold Storage in Food Safety Management

Cold storage is a foundational process in any food business that handles perishable or temperature-sensitive products. It includes:

• Under-bench refrigerators

• Walk-in cold rooms

• Upright chillers and blast chillers

• Freezers (vertical, chest, or walk-in)

Cold storage is designated as a Critical Control Point (CCP) in most HACCP systems because it directly controls microbiological growth and preservation of product safety. It also serves as a containment point to prevent spoilage and cross-contamination, making it essential to product integrity, shelf life, and regulatory compliance.

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2. Hazards

2.1 Microbiological Hazards

• Growth of spoilage organisms and pathogens such as:

  • Listeria monocytogenes

  • Salmonella spp.

  • E. coli

  • Clostridium botulinum (particularly for vacuum-sealed products)

• These are controlled by maintaining temperatures at or below 5°C for chilled products and below -18°C for frozen goods.

  • Certain countries such as Singapore SFA have 4ºC critical limit

2.2 Physical Hazards

• Presence of foreign matter (e.g., broken packaging, debris)

• Potential for cross-contact with non-food-safe materials or damaged shelving

2.3 Cross-Contamination

• Contact between raw and ready-to-eat (RTE) products

• Contamination due to spills, improper segregation, or expired items

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3. Critical Limits

Critical Limits and Regulatory Standards

Storage Type	Required Temperature
Chilled storage (CCP)	≤ 5°C
Frozen storage (OPRP)	≤ -18°C
Monitoring	Minimum daily or continuous, depending on risk profile

Failure to meet these limits can result in microbial proliferation, reduction in shelf life, and violation of ISO 22000, Codex HACCP, or local food safety regulations.

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4. HACCP Audit Table

Step	Hazard	Control Measure	CCP?	Critical Limit	Monitoring Method
Cold storage	Microbial growth in stored foods	Maintain ambient ≤ 5°C	Yes	≤ 5°C (chilled)	Thermal imagery, digital display photos
	Microbial risk from freezer failure	Maintain ≤ -18°C (frozen)	OPRP	≤ -18°C	Thermal image of freezer readout
	Expired or spoiled product	Use-by/date visual checks	Yes	In-date only	AI extraction from packaging imagery
	Cross-contamination or food integrity loss	Visual & image inspection	Yes	Separation, cleanliness	Visual audit using image capture

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5. QR-Based Routing

5.1 Setup: QR Code Routing

• Each fridge, chiller, cold room, or freezer is assigned a unique QR code.

• Users scan the QR code before taking a temperature image.

• The QR code automatically:

  • Links the image to the storage location

  • Populates metadata in the Didge Platform

5.2 Monitoring Approaches

• Option 1 – Digital Display Capture:

  • Image of fridge/freezer thermometer or controller panel

  • AI reads and stores temperature

  • Verifies ambient temp vs. critical limit

• Option 2 – Product-Based Image:

  • Image of food inside the unit

  • AI extracts:

    • Surface temperature

    • Food type and category

    • Use-by / production date

    • Visual condition (e.g., signs of spoilage or contamination)

5.3 Automated Submission Flow

• Images are uploaded to Didge

• AI populates:

  • Temperature

  • Product name and category

  • Use-by/production date

  • Storage location (via QR code)

  • Timestamp

• A unique operation instance is submitted and stored for each image

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6. Benefits

Benefits of Image-Based Cold Storage Validation

Evidence-Based Compliance

• Visual + thermal evidence provides unquestionable audit records

• All images are timestamped, location-linked, and AI-annotated

Scalability and Ease of Use

• Simple workflow for staff:

  • Scan QR → Snap Image → Done

• No need for manual entry or probe thermometers

Advanced Validation

• AI can:

  • Detect cross-contamination risks (e.g., raw meat above cooked)

  • Recognize expired or improperly labeled items

  • Identify foreign objects or spoiled food via visual analysis

Supports All Temperature Zones

• Chilled items: must be ≤ 5°C

• Frozen items: must be ≤ -18°C

  (Technically an OPRP, but managed using the same flow for ease of compliance)

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7. Integration with FSMS

• Data stored in the cloud-based Didge Platform

• Accessible through:

  • Live dashboards

  • Web-based reports

  • CSV/Excel/PDF exports

• Compatible with compliance under:

  • ISO 22000

  • Codex HACCP

  • National health department standards

Each record includes:

• Thermal image and food context

• Location (QR-linked)

• Timestamp

• Temperature and metadata

• AI validation details (e.g., use-by date, portion count)

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8. Summary

Cold storage is a critical function that supports the prevention of spoilage and microbial growth across perishable foods. By combining thermal imaging, AI data extraction, and QR-based routing, your operation gains:

• Reliable, verifiable evidence of correct storage conditions

• Automated compliance records with accurate timestamps

• Intelligent food monitoring (e.g., expiry date detection)

• Audit-ready reports across all storage points

This approach ensures your FSMS is both technologically advanced and practically scalable, supporting strong food safety outcomes while minimizing staff workload.

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