To address the ongoing issues caused by Brexit, The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) has announced the launch of a series of new resources to support the industry.

These include a signup mailbox for Brexit alerts available to both members and non-members, through which the BFFF will send out alerts as and when it receives pertinent information from government or other forums.

In addition, a series of support sessions are being planned which will support members and the wider industry in easing the current ‘pain points’ caused by Brexit.

The next support session – ‘Brexit eight months in: Transport and Groupage Support Session’ – takes place on Tuesday 21 September at 10am. The BFFF will be joined by Peter Bambury from Roswel Spedition Gmbh and Robert Hardy, operations director at EORI UK. They will share best practice case studies and provide advice on how to prepare for what’s to come.

Further support content courtesy of technology-based freight forwarder Unsworth will follow in October.

Non-members can attend online events live, but full BFFF members will have exclusive access to additional expert guidance, further articles and full recordings in the BFFF webinar library.

Richard Harrow, chief executive of BFFF, said: “As issues surrounding our exit from the EU continue to cause disruption there are more questions than answers coming out of government. We recently held a round table with members which uncovered some shocking problems arising from Brexit. While most of those who took part are being affected by the well-documented driver shortage, food businesses are also struggling to fill managerial and skilled technical positions, as well as facing increased shipping costs.

“It is time for government to recognise that in order to fuel a post-Covid economic boom, the food industry must have access to an available workforce in all areas of the supply chain. As a Federation we want to support our members and the whole industry as much as possible by sharing knowledge and providing a platform to ask questions about the latest government changes and advice.

“Our team works closely with multiple forums and working groups which address many issues relating to Brexit, and as such have immediate access to the most up-to-date information. I think this will prove an incredibly useful tool as we continue to navigate Brexit.”

For more information and Brexit support, visit https://bfff.co.uk/brexit-hub/post-brexit-support-series/. To register for Septembers webinar, go to https://bfff.co.uk/event/brexit-8-months-in-transport-and-groupage-support-session/

As one might expect, various forms of water can cause some of the biggest problems with cold chain integrity and worker safety. When warm air infiltrates cooler environments, condensation – and in some cases, frost – can develop.

Condensation and frost on the floor can cause safety hazards inside the facility for workers who might slip. Furthermore, condensation can lead to diminished product quality and compromise the safety of food and pharmaceuticals. Cold storage facilities can’t simply cite building defects as an excuse and are expected to comply with legislation and best-practice by finding verifiable and documentable solutions to frost and condensation build-up.

Frequently called “sweating slab syndrome”, condensation forming on the ground is a common problem in facilities with concrete floors. This usually happens due to warmer air entering through open loading dock doors or gaps between trailers and the perimeter of the dock opening during loading and unloading. Because negative pressure is typical of most facilities, warmer outdoor air (especially in refrigerated/cooler dock areas) typically rushes inside.

Extremely harmful condensation can also form on products that have high water content, like fruits and vegetables, which can cause spoilage. Even products that don’t immediately spoil can be compromised and become harmful to consumers who eat them later. Condensation is a common factor in many listeria cases.

Many facilities combat this problem with environmental seals and shelters at loading dock openings. The most advanced dock shelters can eliminate virtually all gaps along the dock perimeter to minimize air infiltration, as well as any debris or pests.

HVLS fans also play a role in mitigating condensation build-up on and near the floor. Through a process called destratification, HVLS fans unify air temperatures from floor to ceiling. An HVLS fan can transform a tall facility with a 8°C difference from ceiling to floor into a single degree. Instead of cool air settling on the ground where warm air can condense, temperature and humidity levels that become uniform diminish condensation development.

Similar to condensation, frost can develop near especially cold areas. It’s not uncommon to find frost near doors and door openings that separate freezers from warmer working areas. This frost can lead to worker safety issues and also increased risk for air infiltration in instances that affect freezer doors closing.

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Image: HVLS fans help minimise condensation by creating uniform temperature and humidity levels.