How to Record the Temperature of Kenyan Avocados during Its Export Transportation

The main avocado season in Kenya lasts from March to September. It is clear that understanding shipping temperature matters now more than ever. Freshliance Fresh Tag 10TH single use usb temperature and humidity data logger can be used in recording temperature during avocados' cold chain logistics to ensure their freshness. 

Avocados are a favorite among many for their creamy consistency and healthy fats. World avocado production is dominated by Mexico and Latin America, but Kenya has become a larger player in the market in the last decade. Kenya has ideal climatic conditions for growing avocados, and the country’s low humidity and mild temperatures ensure a stable crop and good flavor. In the global markets, Kenya is the sixth largest exporter of avocados. The country accounts for 81.6 per cent of EAC avocado fruit produce. The Hass variety, which is the most grown variety in Kenya, has generated a lot of interest in the export markets owing to its long shelf life and taste.

Keeping avocado from Kenya fresh requires a cold chain. Once they are picked, they are kept refrigerated constantly so as to deliver the best ripeness before they hit the shelves. Ripening and softening is delayed by pre-cooling the fruit immediately after harvest. Here are the optimum Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage and transport conditions for Kenyan avocados: Unripe fruit is stored at temperatures between 8°C and 12°C and for ripe fruit it is between 5°C and 12°C. Relative humidity during storage is between 85% and 90%. Fruit is stored under proper ventilation at 2% to 5% oxygen and up to 10% carbon dioxide. Fruit is stored and transported at very low ethylene levels to reduce early softening. During the trip from tree to shelf, avocados release carbon dioxide, ethylene, water vapor and heat. As a result, storage for ripe fruit is between 7 and 14 days and up to 28 days for unripe fruit to prevent rotting. CA transportation through refrigerated or reefer containers extends the shelf life up to 6 weeks.

Freshliance FreshTag 10TH single use temperature and humidity recorders is robust enough to withstand the rigors of the journey while being compact and lightweight to sit conveniently with shipments. This temperature and humidity recorder for shipping is ideal for avocados. All parameters including alarm points can be configured on our free configuration software. Once the temperature and humidity out of the alarm range, the alarm symbol will be displayed on the screen and the red indicator will flash once every 10 seconds. On arrival at its destination, after stopping this disposable temperature recorders for shipping, plug it into the computer, and the irreversible PDF&CSV report with graph and table will be generated automatically and quickly without any additional software. The mark and alarm will also show on this report. When transporting temperature and humidity sensitive goods like avocados, it’s crucial that the carrier pay close attention to the details. The shipper will list the specific temperature freight needs to remain during transit. If this temperature setting is altered up or down at all, the freight could be damaged and may be deemed unacceptable upon delivery. This means time wasted and money lost. This report will be the necessary evidence for the product owner and the cold chain carrier if the cold chain performance objection is required.