Cold chain

Definition

The unbroken run of controlled temperature from the supplier through transport to the point of use.

Why It Matters

Everything in this business depends on it and nothing in the accounts shows it. Food that has been out of temperature is not worth less, it is worth nothing, and the loss lands on whoever cannot prove otherwise, which is why the federal transport rule turns the chain into written duties and records. In diligence the chain is read as documents and equipment together: the written procedures, the temperature records, the age of the refrigeration and how often it has been down.