PakSense is standardising its label configurations, which says the company, will simplify the ordering process and provide a quicker turnaround time on orders.
A company spokesperson explained to FoodProductionDaily.com that they were finding customers' requirements fell into defined temperature bands, for instance customers shipping chilled meats were in the -4°C to 2°C range.
So they decided to offer the labels in standard temperature ranges that could be ordered off the shelf.
The customer simply determines how long the product will be in transit, selects the ideal temperature range, and puts an order in for the relevant label product number.
Standard temperature range specifications corresponding to the most frequently shipped fresh produce items such as poultry, seafood and beef have been pre-programmed into the labels.
The spokesperson confirmed that if customers need a temperature range outside of the standard specifications PakSense can still offer a custom label service.
Before standardisation labels were programmed with customers' upper and lower temperature ranges.
Customisation can also include printing the customer's logo or other graphics on the label.
The company says that there are seven standard temperature ranges available in a 6 day, 15 day and 30 day label.
Each of these labels has a memory chip which collects and stores time and temperature information that can be downloaded and graphed into Microsoft Excel.
Temperature ranges are programmed in both Fahrenheit and Celsius.
Temperature ranges are also colour coded from red (warmer temperature ranges) to dark blue (colder temperature ranges), for easy visual recognition and to simplify the ordering process.
The standardised labels also represent the launching of the company's new PakSense Ultra product family.
The spokesperson said that products included in this range will simplify ordering and product delivery.
She also confirmed that the company began rolling out the standardised labels to selected pilot customers in the first quarter of this year.
The initiative proved to be successful so the standardised labels are now being marketed to the food industry in general.
The company says that the labels can provide a useful food safety check.
In November 2007 PakSense issued a statement confirming that meat packer JBS Swift & Company, North America, was the latest company to start using the labels.
PakSense said that when the beef and pork deliveries are made JBS Swift customers examine the visual indicators on the labels to verify that acceptable temperature ranges were maintained during transit.
The labels are then mailed back to one of JBS Swift's offices to facilitate temperature traceability.
The company says that to date the temperature monitoring labels have been sold into 46 countries.
PakSense is based in Boise, Idaho.