The State Police of Reggio Calabria, through the Traffic Police, is committed daily in counteracting the incorrect behaviors of the drivers and the regularity of the vehicles used in the most disparate transport activities, such as that of people and things, live animals and dangerous goods.
In this control activity, particular attention is paid to Food transport in controlled temperature regime (ATP, acronym for Accord Transport Perissable), handled with vehicles equipped with a refrigerator apparatusfor the understandable repercussions that the bad methods of transport of food can have on human health.
In fact, many foods must be transported to low temperatures, to prevent the modification of the organoleptic characteristics of the transported foods. From the 70s, the maximum temperatures to which foods can be transported were indicated. For example, fresh meat must be transported to no more than 4 degrees, milk and 8 ° derivatives, the fruit between 1st and 12th, depending on the type.
To ensure the unalterability of the temperature, the vehicles used for this purpose are equipped with a structure, called isothermal, which prevents the temperature inside the fridge cell undergoes the influence of the external temperature.
This structures are built by specialized industries and are accompanied by a certification (ATP certification) which guarantees the suitability of the same, with a validity of 6 years, renewable for another 3 years but no more than twice, following a thorough revision.
During the control activity carried out by the judicial police team of the Reggio Calabria traffic police section and the subsection of Palmi, with the collaboration of the local civil motorization, it was ascertained that Two local transport companies used False ATP certifications, at the expense of the caution that regulate the transport of these foods, which were therefore transported without guaranteeing the maintenance of the “cold chain” cd.
The false certifications were seized and the holders of the companies have been referred to the judicial authority. Vehicles, without valid certification, cannot circulate and therefore the consequent risk to public health has been eliminated.
