AS part of China's food-safety controls, the first local standard on cold-chain logistics will take effect on October 1, the Shanghai Economic Commission said yesterday.

The new standard stipulates temperature control requirements across the food cold-chain logistics process, including transport, storage, loading and unloading, distribution and sale, as well as quality and hygienic requirements.

Officials said the standard aims to better ensure food quality. In the past, refrigeration in the retail sector was emphasized but temperature control in transport and distribution was neglected. This is why some consumers complained the food they bought within its shelf life went bad.

Now the standard clarifies that frozen food should be kept below minus 18 degrees Celsius and chilled food should be kept between zero and seven degrees.

Temperatures in transport should be lowered to 15 degrees before liquid milk is loaded and it should be no higher than 10 degrees during transport, according to the standard.

Companies must also specify the temperature required for goods when they entrust logistics companies to transport their products.

Bright Dairy and Food, a local leading dairy producer, said it already has computer-controlled cold-chain logistics and has always ensured low temperatures in transporting and selling its products.