Perishable goods – like fruits, vegetables, meat, frozen foods and even pharmaceutical products, are consumed world over by everyone. Such products are temperature sensitive and their shelf life is subject to proper preservation and maintenance. Cold storage plays a crucial role in the storage process to keep the produce fresh and prevent them from decay. Storage is the backbone of the production process, assuring that the produce is intact and to increase their shelf life. The demand for food storage is exponentially increasing and is expected to grow at a CAGR of  12.2% in the next 5 years.

Considering the products stored, constant monitoring of temperature and humidity is required, however it is an herculean task. Internet of Things (IoT) has taken over the world to make life more convenient. Implementing IoT solutions into the cold storage facilities eliminates the need for human intervention, thereby providing a smart solution for efficient management. IoT for cold storage has enabled improved food safety and quality control.

While the process might seem to be cumbersome, IoT for climate control in cold storage is a simple task:

• Fix an Internet of Things (IoT) sensors inside the cold storage chamber
• IoT integrated mobile apps share every minute change
• Continuous remote monitoring of temperature is possible with alerts to indicate variations in temperature

Here are the top benefits of installing cold storage units with IoT devices:

1. Real-time monitoring – IoT solutions provides access to real time monitoring of every minute detail. Sensors update the user on the humidity and temperature levels and help prevent food spoilage. An alert can be sent via a call, SMS or email.

2. Maximizing profits – Constant updates lead to predictive analysis, which leads to reduction in the operational costs related to maintaining staff and in turn increases profits. Timely updates can also prevent any power failures and helps reduce the maintenance costs.

3. Efficient management – IoT devices keep the user informed about the space in the cold storage facility for optimum storage utilization. The movement of goods is also tracked to maintain stocks records effectively. The sensors also alert the user on the expiry date for swift shifting of the products and preventing the wastage of the other products.

4. Employee &Asset Safety – Smart sensors send an alert during a system failure. It helps prevent risky scenarios and gives enough time to take immediate action to avoid disasters, thereby saving the storage and the employees.

A cold storage monitoring system is useful across industries – agriculture, food industry, restaurants, pharmaceuticals, blood banks and even educational institutions. An IoT enabled solution provides value to any business and leads to optimum usage of resources. It is indeed time to turn to the smart solutions!