Food quality and safety model for refrigerated food

• US 7,027,958 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2002
• 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): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barbee, Manuel L
• Application Number:
  US10/660,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 702/130, 702132-136, 702176-179, 702182-184, 702/187, 702/188, 700276-278, 700/299, 340/584, 340/585, 340/588, 340/589, 621/27, 621/75, 374/101, 374/102, 374/104
• US Class Current: 702/188
• 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: G05B 23/0294 Optimizing process, e.g. process efficiency, product quality

Abstract

A system and method according to the invention includes a communication network and a food product manager in communication with a monitored location through the communication network, wherein the manager receives product-temperature condition information from the monitored location and determines a food characteristic for a refrigerated product as a function of a frequency and severity of the product-temperature condition information. The function may be a time-temperature calculation, a degree-minute calculation, or a bacteria-count calculation.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a communication network; and

a food product manager in communication with a monitored location through said communication network, wherein said manager receives product-temperature condition information from said monitored location and determines a food product index for a refrigerated product as a function of a frequency and severity of said product-temperature condition information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said product-temperature condition is cyclical.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said function is a time-temperature calculation.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said time-temperature calculation includes time and temperature set points combined to provide an alarming point.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said function is a degree-minute calculation.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said degree-minute calculation integrates an ideal product temperature curve with respect to time.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said function is a bacteria-count calculation.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said bacteria-count calculation periodically calculates a bacteria count for a given temperature at a given time.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said periodic calculation produces the bacteria-count curve.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said bacteria-count calculation is a function of a base bacteria count, time, product type, and temperature.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein said bacteria-count calculation includes separately counting both spoiler bacteria and pathogen bacteria.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said manager generates a food quality alarm when said spoiler bacteria reaches a predetermined level.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said manager generates a food safety alarm when said pathogen bacteria reaches a predetermined level.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein said manager generates a food quality index calculation to monitor the quality of said refrigerated product.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said food quality index includes:

measuring a temperature of said refrigerated product;

determining an average temperature as a function of said temperature;

determining an average shelf-life rating for said refrigerated product;

determining an average ideal storage temperature for said refrigerated product;

determining an average base bacteria count as a function of product type;

determining a bacteria count as a function of said average temperature, said average shelf-life rating and said average base bacteria count;

determining a quality factor as a function of said bacteria count and said average base bacteria count; and

determining an average quality factor.

16. The system of claim 7, wherein said manager generates a food safety index calculation to provide evaluation of food safety risk.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said food safety index includes:

measuring a temperature of said refrigerated product;

determining a maximum temperature as a function of said temperature;

determining a maximum shelf-life rating for said refrigerated product;

determining a maximum base bacteria count as a function of product type;

determining a bacteria count as a function of said maximum temperature, said maximum shelf-life rating and said maximum base bacteria count;

determining a safety factor as a function of said bacteria count and said maximum base bacteria count; and

determining an average safety factor.

18. A method comprising:

transferring product-temperature condition information from a refrigerated location to a management center; and

outputting a food characteristic value at said management center for a refrigerated product as a function of said frequency and severity of said product-temperature condition.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said food product index is a food safety index determined by:

measuring a temperature of each of said plurality of product types within a plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining a maximum temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of said temperature;

determining a maximum shelf-life rating for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining a maximum base bacteria count for said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining a bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases as a function of said maximum temperature, said maximum shelf-life rating and said maximum base bacteria count;

determining a safety factor as a function of said bacteria count and said base bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases; and

determining an average safety factor for said plurality of refrigeration cases.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said food product index is a food quality index determined by:

measuring a temperature of each of a plurality of product types within a plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining an average temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of said temperature;

determining an average shelf-life rating for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining an average ideal storage temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining an average base bacteria count for said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining a bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases as a function of said average temperature, said average shelf-life rating and said average base bacteria count;

determining a quality factor as a function of said bacteria count and said average base bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases; and

determining an average quality factor for said plurality of refrigeration cases.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising initiating an alarm if said food product index exceeds a predetermined level.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said alarm is initiated at either of said management center and the remote location.

23. A system comprising a processing center in communication with a refrigeration system through a communication network, wherein said processing center receives product-temperature information from said refrigeration system for determining a food product index as a function of a frequency and severity of said product-temperature information for a plurality of product types within a plurality of refrigeration cases.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said food product index is a food safety index determined by:

measuring a temperature of each of said plurality of product types within said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining a maximum temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of said temperature;

determining a maximum shelf-life rating for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining a maximum base bacteria count for said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining a bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases as a function of said maximum temperature, said maximum shelf-life rating and said maximum base bacteria count;

determining a safety factor as a function of said bacteria count and said base bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases; and

determining an average safety factor for said plurality of refrigeration cases.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said food product index is a food quality index determined by:

measuring a temperature of each of said plurality of product types within said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining an average temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of said temperature;

determining an average shelf-life rating for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining an average ideal storage temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining an average base bacteria count for said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining a bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases as a function of said average temperature, said average shelf-life rating and said average base bacteria count;

determining a quality factor as a function of said bacteria count and said average base bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases; and

determining an average quality factor for said plurality of refrigeration cases.

26. The system of claim 23, further comprising initiating an alarm if said food product index exceeds a predetermined level.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said alarm is initiated at either of said management center and the remote location.

28. A method of monitoring and managing a refrigeration system at a retail location, comprising:

transmitting information from a refrigeration system at a retail location to a processing center at a remote location; and

determining a food product index as a function of a frequency and severity of said product-temperature information at said processing center for a plurality of product types within a plurality of refrigeration cases of said refrigeration system.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said food product index is a food safety index determined by:

measuring a temperature of each of said plurality of product types within said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining a maximum temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of said temperature;

determining a maximum shelf-life rating for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining a maximum base bacteria count for said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining a bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases as a function of said maximum temperature, said maximum shelf-life rating and said maximum base bacteria count;

determining a safety factor as a function of said bacteria count and said base bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases; and

determining an average safety factor for said plurality of refrigeration cases.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said food product index is a food quality index determined by:

measuring a temperature of each of said plurality of product types within said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining an average temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of said temperature;

determining an average shelf-life rating for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining an average ideal storage temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining an average base bacteria count for said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining a bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases as a function of said average temperature, said average shelf-life rating and said average base bacteria count;

determining a quality factor as a function of said bacteria count and said average base bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases; and

determining an average quality factor for said plurality of refrigeration cases.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising initiating an alarm if said food product index exceeds a predetermined level.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said alarm is initiated at either of said management center and the remote location.

33. A food product manager in communication with a monitored location through a communication network, wherein said manager receives product-temperature condition information from said monitored location and determines a food product index for a refrigerated product as a function of a frequency and severity of said product-temperature condition information.

34. The manager of claim 33, wherein said product-temperature condition is cyclical.

35. The manager of claim 33, wherein said function is a time-temperature calculation.

36. The manager of claim 35, wherein said time-temperature calculation includes time and temperature set points combined to provide an alarming point.

37. The manager of claim 33, wherein said function is a degree-minute calculation.

38. The manager of claim 37, wherein said degree-minute calculation integrates an ideal product temperature curve with respect to time.

39. The manager of claim 33, wherein said function is a bacteria-count calculation.

40. The manager of claim 39, wherein said bacteria-count calculation periodically calculates a bacteria count for a given temperature at a given time.

41. The manager of claim 40, wherein said periodic calculation produces the bacteria-count curve.

42. The manager of claim 39, wherein said bacteria-count calculation is a function of a base bacteria count, time, product type, and temperature.

43. The manager of claim 39, wherein said bacteria-count calculation includes separately counting both spoiler bacteria and pathogen bacteria.

44. The manager of claim 43, wherein said manager generates a food quality alarm when said spoiler bacteria reaches a predetermined level.

45. The manager of claim 43, wherein said manager generates a food safety alarm when said pathogen bacteria reaches a predetermined level.

46. The manager of claim 39, wherein said food product index is a food quality index calculated to monitor the quality of said refrigerated product.

47. The manager of claim 46, wherein said food quality index includes:

measuring a temperature of said refrigerated product;

determining an average temperature as a function of said temperature;

determining an average shelf-life rating for said refrigerated product;

determining an average ideal storage temperature for said refrigerated product;

determining an average base bacteria count as a function of product type; and

determining a bacteria count as a function of said average temperature, said average shelf-life rating and said average base bacteria count.

48. The manager of claim 47, further comprising:

determining a quality factor as a function of said bacteria count and said average base bacteria count; and

determining an average quality factor.

49. The manager of claim 39, wherein said food product index is a food safety index calculated to evaluate food safety risk.

50. The manager of claim 49, wherein said food safety index includes:

measuring a temperature of said refrigerated product;

determining a maximum temperature as a function of said temperature;

determining a maximum shelf-life rating for said refrigerated product;

determining a maximum base bacteria count as a function of product type; and

determining a bacteria count as a function of said maximum temperature, said maximum shelf-life rating and said maximum base bacteria count.

51. The manager of claim 50, further comprising:

determining a safety factor as a function of said bacteria count and said maximum base bacteria count; and

determining an average safety factor.

52. A system comprising a processing center in communication with a refrigeration system through a communication network, wherein said processing center receives information from said refrigeration system for determining a food product index for a plurality of product types within a plurality of refrigeration cases, wherein said food product index is a food safety index determined by:

measuring a temperature of each of said plurality of product types within said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining a maximum temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of said temperature;

determining a maximum shelf-life rating for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining a maximum base bacteria count for said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type; and

determining a bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases as a function of said maximum temperature, said maximum shelf-life rating and said maximum base bacteria count.

53. The system of claim 52, further comprising:

determining a safety factor as a function of said bacteria count and said base bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases; and

determining an average safety factor for said plurality of refrigeration cases.

54. A system comprising a processing center in communication with a refrigeration system through a communication network, wherein said processing center receives information from said refrigeration system for determining a food product index for a plurality of product types within a plurality of refrigeration cases, wherein said food product index is a food quality index determined by:

measuring a temperature of each of said plurality of product types within said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining an average temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of said temperature;

determining an average shelf-life rating for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining an average ideal storage temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining an average base bacteria count for said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type; and

determining a bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases as a function of said average temperature, said average shelf-life rating and said average base bacteria count.

55. The system of claim 54, further comprising:

determining a quality factor as a function of said bacteria count and said average base bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases; and

determining an average quality factor for said plurality of refrigeration cases.

56. A method of monitoring and managing a refrigeration system, comprising:

transmitting information from a refrigeration system at a retail location to a processing center at a remote location; and

determining a food product index at said processing center for a plurality of product types within a plurality of refrigeration cases of said refrigeration system, wherein said food product index is a food safety index determined by;

measuring a temperature of each of said plurality of product types within said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining a maximum temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of said temperature;

determining a maximum shelf-life rating for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining a maximum base bacteria count for said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type; and

determining a bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases as a function of said maximum temperature, said maximum shelf-life rating and said maximum base bacteria count.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

determining a safety factor as a function of said bacteria count and said base bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases; and

determining an average safety factor for said plurality of refrigeration cases.

58. A method of monitoring and managing a refrigeration system, comprising:

transmitting information from a refrigeration system at a retail location to a processing center at a remote location; and

determining a food product index at said processing center for a plurality of product types within a plurality of refrigeration cases of said refrigeration system, wherein said food product index is a food quality index determined by;

measuring a temperature of each of said plurality of product types within said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining an average temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of said temperature;

determining an average shelf-life rating for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type;

determining an average ideal storage temperature for each of said plurality of refrigeration cases;

determining an average base bacteria count for said plurality of refrigeration cases as a function of product type; and

determining a bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases as a function of said average temperature, said average shelf-life rating and said average base bacteria count.

59. The method of claim 58, further comprising:

determining a quality factor as a function of said bacteria count and said average base bacteria count for each of said refrigeration cases; and

determining an average quality factor for said plurality of refrigeration cases.