The food cold-chain and climate change

Any noticeable increase in ambient temperature resulting from climatic change will have a substantial effect on the current and developing food cold-chain. A rise in temperature will increase the risk of food poisoning and food spoilage unless the cold-chain is extended and improved. The little data that is available suggests that currently the cold-chain accounts for approximately 1% of CO2 production in the world, however this is likely to increase if global temperatures increase significantly. Using the most energy efficient refrigeration technologies it would be possible to substantially extend and improve the cold-chain without any increase in CO2, and possibly even a decrease. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.