Australia is a major exporter of vacuum packaged chilled beef (VPCB) to many overseas markets, and China is an increasingly important export destination for Australian VPCB, with enormous potential for expansion.

This project tested the robustness of the current cold supply chain, from the processing plant in Queensland, during shipping and through to distribution centres in China. VPCB was sent on three different trips in China to test variability in the cold supply chain.

The project provides detailed information about typical temperature time profiles for VPCB in the Chinese cold supply chain, together with microbiological, sensory and biochemical data.