Logistic Transport System for Nutritional Substances

Abstract

A preservation system for storage and logistic transport of nutritional substances. The preservation system obtains information about the nutritional substance to be preserved, senses and measures the external environment to the preservation system, senses and measures the internal environment to the preservation system, senses and measures the state of the nutritional substance, and stores such information throughout the period of preservation. Using this accumulated information, the preservation system can measure, or estimate, changes in nutritional content (usually degradation) during the period of preservation. Additionally, the preservation system can use this information to dynamically modify the preservation system to minimize detrimental changes to the nutritional content of the nutritional substance, and in some cases actually improve the nutritional substance attributes.

1 . A system for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport, said system comprising:
 a container for logistic transport of a nutritional substance;   a first type of sensor for sensing initial attribute data of the nutritional substance related to a nutritional or organoleptic value of the nutritional substance at an initial time and for sensing subsequent attribute data of the nutritional substance related to the nutritional or organoleptic value of the nutritional substance at a subsequent time;   a second type of sensor associated with the container for dynamic sensing of data related to the nutritional substance or the container environment during transport of the container: and   one or more transmitters for transmitting the initial attribute data, the subsequent attribute data, and the dynamically sensed data.   
     
     
         2 . A system for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 1 , wherein the first type of sensor comprises one or more optical sensors. 
     
     
         3 . A system for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 2 , wherein the one or more optical sensors include any of a Raman, hyper-spectral, or near infra-red spectrometer. 
     
     
         4 . A system for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 1 , wherein the second type of sensor comprises a gas, temperature, and humidity sensor. 
     
     
         5 . A system for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 1 , wherein said dynamic sensing is done periodically or continuously during transport. 
     
     
         6 . A system for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 1 , wherein the first type of sensor comprises one device for sensing the initial attribute data and the subsequent attribute data. 
     
     
         7 . A system for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 1 , wherein the first type of sensor comprises a first device for sensing the initial attribute data and a second device for sensing the subsequent attribute data. 
     
     
         8 . A system for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 1 , wherein the initial time corresponds to when the nutritional substance is loaded into the container. 
     
     
         9 . A system for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 1 , wherein the subsequent time corresponds to an inspection of the nutritional substance at an interim or final destination. 
     
     
         10 . A system for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more transmitters is further for transmitting at least one of a location, date, and time corresponding to the initial attribute data, the subsequent attribute data, and the dynamically sensed data. 
     
     
         11 . A method for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport, said method comprising the steps of:
 sensing initial attribute data of a nutritional substance related to a nutritional or organoleptic value of the nutritional substance at an initial time with a first type of sensor; and   sensing subsequent attribute data of the nutritional substance related to the nutritional or organoleptic value of the nutritional substance at a subsequent time with the first type of sensor; and   dynamically sensing data related to the nutritional substance or the container environment during transport of the container with a second type of sensor associated with the container; and   transmitting the initial attribute data, the subsequent attribute data, and the dynamically sensed data.   
     
     
         12 . A method for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 11  including correlating the outputs of said first and second types of sensors with one another. 
     
     
         13 . A method for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 12 , wherein the one or more optical sensors include any of a Raman, hyper-spectral, or near infra-red spectrometer. 
     
     
         14 . A method for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 11 , wherein the second type of sensor comprises a gas, temperature, and humidity sensor. 
     
     
         15 . A method for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 11 , wherein said dynamically sensing is done periodically or continuously during transport. 
     
     
         16 . A method for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 11 , wherein the first type of sensor comprises one device for sensing the initial attribute data and the subsequent attribute data. 
     
     
         17 . A method for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 11 , wherein the first type of sensor comprises a first device for sensing the initial attribute data and a second device for sensing the subsequent attribute data. 
     
     
         18 . A method for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 11 , wherein the initial time corresponds to when the nutritional substance is loaded into the container. 
     
     
         19 . A method for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 11 , wherein the subsequent time corresponds to an inspection of the nutritional substance at an interim or final destination. 
     
     
         20 . A method for tracking changes in nutritional or organoleptic values of nutritional substances during logistic transport according to  claim 11 , wherein transmitting further comprises transmitting at least one of a location, date, and time corresponding to the initial attribute data, the subsequent attribute data, and the dynamically sensed data.