For companies involved in the cold chain product reliability is crucial, especially for perishable goods. Refrigerator and freezer failures can have devastating consequences due to product warming, likewise a sudden drop in temperature can be equally damaging to medical supplies, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.

Award-winning Ellab Monitoring Solutions Ltd says its newly-launched ShockWatch monitoring product, FreezeSafe Temperature Indicator, delivers peace of mind by providing accurate evidence of a below-threshold temperature excursion. This cost-effective solution visually alerts users when a temperature breach has occurred during shipment so that the appropriate actions can be taken.

“Any business has a duty of care to deliver goods that are fit for purpose and are within the parameters that the manufacturers have set. This is where the latest technology like FreezeSafe comes into its own – by qualifying protocols and executing those protocols. Documenting the entire process gives accurate data to ensure the safety of processes and highlight any weak links,” explained Derek Richardson, International Sales Director at Ellab Monitoring Solutions.

“Poor environmental conditions in the cold chain can be responsible for potentially ineffective vaccines and other medicines entering the system, and the associated costly and hugely damaging consequences of recall or even revaccination. The same goes for shipments of tonnes of food that also need to remain within a set temperature range to avoid spoilage. FreezeSafe is incredibly good value and represents a massive and rapid ROI when you take those risks into account, so, it makes complete sense to instigate this kind of monitoring system wherever possible.”

Whether a small business or global company, knowing the correct temperature has been maintained within compliance regulations during transit is critical for life-saving drugs and temperature-sensitive food. The FreezeSafe Indicator, which can be added to every shipment, provides evidence if a product has experienced unacceptably low temperatures.

Easy to implement, the FreezeSafe indicator appears clear prior to use. It does not require pre-activation, but is simply removed from a roll and adhered to a clean dry surface. It can be mounted directly to the product itself, close to the product being monitored, or located inside the packaging.

When FreezeSafe is exposed to temperatures below the stated threshold, the indicator will turn from clear to magenta, a distinct colour change. A quick visual check of the indicator is all that’s needed to alert the recipient of the temperature having been unacceptably cold. This in turn facilitates simple accept/reject decisions regarding the shipment.