Food-quality and shelf-life predicting method and system

• US 6,549,135 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2002
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emerson Digital Cold Chain Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Retail Services, Inc. (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Singh, Abtar, Mathews, Thomas J., Wickberg, Paul, Starling, Neal
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan Ngoc
• Application Number:
  US10/061,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 340/584, 340/585, 340/588, 340/5.1, 340/5.9, 340/5.91, 340/5.92, 702/99, 702/104, 702/130, 62/36, 625/29
• US Class Current: 340/584
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/00 Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/00 Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs preserving foods or foodstuffs in association with packaging B65B55/00
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/36 Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/075 with parallel compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/22 Refrigeration systems for supermarkets
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/195 of the condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/005 of safety devices F25B49/02 and F25B49/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 5/00 Compression machines, plants or systems, with several evaporator circuits, e.g. for varying refrigerating capacity with cascade operation F25B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/36 Visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/14 Sensors measuring the temperature outside the refrigerator or freezer
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/16 Sensors measuring the temperature of products
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2223/06 Remote monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system is provided for monitoring the food product of a remote food product retailer. The system includes a management center in communication with the remote food product retailer via a communication network. The communication network is accessible via a user interface that may be located at any of the management center, the remote location or some other location. The management center gathers food product temperature information and uses that information to determine whether the shelved food product is within acceptable food safety and quality limits. If the food product exceeds these limits, an alarm is sounded at either the management center and the remote location. The user interface is operable to monitor the status of the food product via a selection of screens and remotely respond to the alarms.

Claims

1. A method for indicating to a food product retailer a characteristic of food product stored within a retailer, comprising the steps of:

setting a first indication limit;

providing an initial count for a first bacteria type;

monitoring a temperature of the food product;

periodically calculating a bacteria count for said first bacteria type as a function of said initial count for said first bacteria type and said temperature; and

providing an indication when said bacteria count of said first bacteria type achieves said first indication limit.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

setting a second indication limit;

providing an initial count for a second bacteria type;

periodically calculating a bacteria count for said second bacteria type as a function of said initial count for said second bacteria type and said temperature; and

providing an indication when said bacteria count of said second bacteria type achieves said second indication limit.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first bacteria type is one of pathogen bacteria and spoiler bacteria and wherein said second bacteria type is the other of said pathogen bacteria and spoiler bacteria.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein periodically calculating a bacteria count of either of said first and second bacteria types is further a function of a food product type.

5. A method of predicting a shelf-life of food product type stored within a refrigeration case, comprising the steps of:

determining a bacteria count limit for the food product type;

initiating a first counter corresponding to placement of a first plurality of the food product type within the refrigeration case;

initiating a second counter corresponding to placement of a second plurality of the food product type within the refrigeration case;

determining a bacteria count of said first plurality of the food product type within the refrigeration case over a first period corresponding to said first counter;

determining a bacteria count of said second plurality of the food product type within the refrigeration case over a second period corresponding to said second counter;

removing either of said first and second pluralities of the food product type from the refrigeration case when said bacteria count limit has been achieved for either of said first and second pluralities of the food product type.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of monitoring a temperature of said first plurality of the food product type within the refrigeration case over said first period corresponding to said first counter.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of monitoring a temperature of said second plurality of the food product type within the refrigeration case over said second period corresponding to said second counter.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of resetting either of said first and second counters upon respective removal of either of said first and second pluralities of the food product type from the refrigeration case.

9. A system for monitoring food product of a remote location through a communication network, said system comprising a management center in communication with the remote location through the communication network, said management center receiving food product data from the remote location and determining a value from a variable bacteria count associated with the monitored food product.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising an alarm provided at either of the remote location and said management center to indicate whether said value exceeds a limit.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said limit is a food safety limit indicating said variable bacteria count for the food product has achieved a potentially harmful level.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said limit is a food quality limit indicating said variable bacteria count has achieved an undesirable level.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said food product data includes temperature data and time data for determining said value.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said value is determined as a function of said temperature data and said time data.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said management center compares said value to a limit, said limit determined as a function of a temperature set point and a time set point.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said limit is achieved if said temperature data exceeds said temperature set point for a consecutive time period that is greater than said time set point.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein said management center compares said food product data to a set point.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said set point is a function of a bacterial growth rate of the food product.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said management center integrates said food product data with respect to time, wherein a limit is achieved if said integration is greater than said set point.

20. The system of claim 9, wherein said management center is given a bacteria count set point as a function of bacteria type, said management center calculating a bacteria count as a function of said food product data, wherein an alarm limit is met when said bacteria count exceeds said bacteria count set point.

21. The system of claim 9, further comprising a user interface associated with said management center, said user interface displaying food product data.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said user interface includes a display for providing an alarm status.

23. A food retailer, comprising:

a building housing a refrigeration system including a compressor, condenser, and at least one refrigeration case in communication via piping for transporting high pressure liquid refrigerant;

a management center in communication with the refrigeration system through a communication network, said management center receiving food product data and determining a value from a variable bacteria count associated with refrigerated food product.

25. The food retailer of claim 23, wherein said management center indicates an alarm at either a remote location or said building to indicate whether said value exceeds a limit.

26. The food retailer of claim 25, wherein said limit is a food safety limit indicating said variable bacteria count for the food product has achieved a potentially harmful level.

27. The food retailer of claim 25, wherein said limit is a food quality limit indicating said variable bacteria count has achieved an undesirable level.

28. The food retailer of claim 23, wherein said food product data includes temperature data and time data for determining said value.

29. The food retailer of claim 28, wherein said value is determined as a function of said temperature data and said time data.

30. The food retailer of claim 28, herein said management center compares said value to a limit, said limit determined as a function of a temperature set point and a time set point.

31. The food retailer of claim 30, wherein said limit is achieved if said temperature data exceeds said temperature set point for a consecutive time period that is greater than said time set point.

32. The food retailer of claim 23, wherein said management center compares said food product data to a set point.

33. The food retailer of claim 32, herein said set point is a function of a bacterial growth rate of the food product.

34. The food retailer of claim 33, wherein said management center integrates said food product data with respect to time, wherein a limit is achieved if said integration is greater than said set point.

35. The food retailer of claim 23, wherein said management center is given a bacteria count set point as a function of bacteria type, said management center calculating a bacteria count as a function of said food product data, wherein an alarm limit is met when said bacteria count exceeds said bacteria count set point.

36. The food retailer of claim 23, further comprising a user interface associated with said management center, said user interface displaying food product data.

24. The food retailer of 23, wherein said refrigeration system includes a plurality of refrigeration circuits each including at least one refrigeration case.