Post-harvest food wastage reduction in fruit and vegetables through cold chain collaboration: a theoretical framework

Food wastage is a critical issue as it adds to the problem of global food shortage. Cold supply chain, which helps preserve the freshness of postharvest fresh food from source until they are purchased by the consumers, can be an effective means to mitigate the problem. Owing to fragmented operation and lack of coordination, deficiency, abuse or fluctuation in temperature control along the cold chain is quite common. Absence of clear and consistent guidelines for material handling across the entire cold chain also leads to bruising, rotting, aging, and wilting of fruit and vegetables thereby increasing wastage. This study attempts to review thoroughly the extant literature on cold chain issues and supply chain collaboration with a view to developing a collaboration framework for cold chain underpinned by appropriate management theories. It is expected that collaboration among firms in a cold chain, if it proves successful, will help meet temperature specifications at every point in the chain thereby minimizing damage and ensuring quality of product. It will also enhance overall efficiency and responsiveness of the cold chain through optimization and lead time reduction. These improvements can significantly reduce wastage of fruit and vegetables delivered via cold chain and lessen the problem of global food shortage.