Cold chain monitoring is the systematic measurement and recording of temperature conditions throughout storage and transport, enabling verification that product has remained within agreed limits from origin to delivery.
In trade practice
Data loggers placed inside shipments, reefer controller printouts and IoT sensor feeds are the primary evidence sources. Loggers must be calibrated, positioned correctly within the load and activated before loading. On arrival, buyers or their agents download logger data and compare it against the agreed temperature specification before accepting the consignment. A common dispute trigger is a logger placed near the reefer air outlet rather than within the product mass, producing readings that do not reflect actual product conditions.
In a specification
A supply contract typically specifies the logger type, calibration interval, placement position, data retention period and the threshold deviation that triggers a formal non-conformance report.