C2SLDS: A WSN-based perishable food shelf-life prediction and LSFO strategy decision support system in cold chain logistics

•We combined the WSN and TTI features in the C2SLDS system.•The system provides a seamless information exchange along the cold chain.•The system enables cold chain enterprises to predict perishable food shelf-life.•The system helps cold chain enterprises to make LSFO strategy decision.•The system meets most of the users' requirements raised in system analysis.

Temperature monitoring, shelf-life visibility and Least Shelf-life First Out (LSFO) stock strategy are important contents in perishable food cold chain logistics for both cold chain managers and workers in order to reduce quality and economic losses. This paper illustrates a wireless sensor network (WSN) based integrated Cold Chain Shelf Life Decision Support System (C2SLDS) designed for perishable food product cold chain management. The system is implemented based on the WSN and time temperature indicator (TTI) features. Compared with traditional cold chain management methods used before, the C2SLDS not only bridges the information gap which exists between different cold chain phase enterprises and provide a seamless information flow along the whole chain but also enables cold chain enterprises to predict perishable food's shelf-life and helps make a smart LSFO strategy to reduce the quality and economic loss. System test and evaluation shows that the infield radio transmission is reliable and the whole system meets most of the users' requirements raised in system analysis.